- Email: [email protected]
The 2006–2010 Strategic Plan for the Poultry Science Association
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS The 2006–2010 Strategic Plan for the Poultry Science Association P. Y. Hester,1* C. Z. Alvarado,2 S. F. Bilgili,3 J. H. Denton,4 A. M. Donoghue,5 A. Giesen,6 B. M. Hargis,4 J. W. Kessler,7 F. N. Madison,4 G. W. Malone,8 P. Mavrolas,9 S. L. Noll,10 A. J. Pescatore,11 C. A. Ricks,12 F. E. Robinson,13 R. B. Shirley,14 M. Sifri,15 M. O. Smith,16 R. H. Stonerock,17 J. L. Wilson,18 M. J. Wineland,19 M. M. Beck,20 and W. W. Saylor21 1
ABSTRACT The Poultry Science Association (PSA) leadership has created its first comprehensive 5-year strategic plan (2006 to 2010) as a guide to the organization’s growth and development. As societal concerns about animal agriculture increase and as changes in the poultry industry and in universities reduce the numbers of poultry scientists and thus membership in PSA, it became apparent that, to maintain relevance, the PSA needed to undertake a more rigorous and comprehensive review of its assets, areas of weakness, and reasons for being. The strategic planning process provided the lens for organizational analysis and planning. Our new mission for the PSA is to be a global scientific society dedicated to discovery and dissemination of knowledge, generated by poultry research that enhances human and animal health and well-being and provides for the ethical, sustainable production of food. The Association’s vision is to be a preeminent global organization of poultry scientists and industry leaders, firmly grounded in scientific endeavors related to the biology and production of poultry. In-
creased membership diversity will be pursued by recruiting people of varied geographic, gender, cultural, and scientific backgrounds—including health and medicine— leading to a diverse leadership. The PSA will serve as the clearinghouse for poultry science information and provide through its Foundation significant financial support to students and young scientists engaged in poultry science research, teaching, and outreach education. The PSA, in partnership with the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS), will be a highly credible, well-respected, powerful force that is able to influence policy makers at governmental levels for the benefit of animal agriculture by delivering sound scientific information. The strategic plan highlights strategic directions to be implemented as well as assessment of progress. It will take the vision, energy, and dedication of PSA leaders and members to ensure that the strategic plan is well implemented, monitored, and altered appropriately, keeping it a living plan of action.
Key words: Poultry Science Association, strategic plan 2006–2010 2007 Poultry Science 86:1–7
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The Poultry Science Association (PSA) was organized in 1908 by poultry scientists at Cornell and Guelph as a professional scientific society through which they could share research findings and disseminate them to the pub-
©2006 Poultry Science Association, Inc. Received September 26, 2005. Accepted October 5, 2005. *Corresponding author: [email protected]
1
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Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907; 2Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409; 3Poultry Science Department, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849; 4Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701; 5Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Science Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701; 6Novus International, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri 63141; 7Poultry Science Association, Savoy, Illinois 61874; 8Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Georgetown, Delaware 19947; 9Institute for Conservation Leadership, Bozeman, Montana 59715; 10Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108; 11Department of Animal Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546; 12Embrex, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709; 13Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2P5; 14Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912; 15Animal Health/Nutrition, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., Quincy, Illinois 62301; 16Animal Science Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996; 17Akey, Inc., Marysville, Ohio 43040; 18Poultry Science Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30605; 19Poultry Science Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695; 20Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583; and 21 Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716
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HESTER ET AL.
Table 1. Examples of significant discoveries that have strengthened today’s poultry industry and benefited the consumer1 Discovery
Application
Beneficiary
Slow-feathering gene (Serebrovsky, 1922) Purified diets (Baker in the 1950s and 1960s)
Feather sexing Supplementation of diets sparing the costs of high protein ingredients Automated in ovo vaccination Blood testing to identify breeding stock carriers of Salmonella and other organisms Lighting programs Reduction of leg problems and fatty livers Correction of nutritional deficiencies Development of Best Management Practices in land application of litter as a fertilizer Reduction of phosphorus in diets and excreted waste
Industry
Embryonic vaccination (Sharma) Vertical transmission of Salmonella and other food safety organisms from breeder hens to offspring Photoperiodism Choline, methionine, and folic acid Vitamins Poultry manure as a source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium Use of dietary phytase to increase the biological availability of phosphorus Adding value to poultry food products and by-products of processing Advancements in the control of Marek’s Disease and ascites
Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry
Ready-to-eat meat products, omega-3 fatty acid–enriched eggs, incorporation of feather waste into plastics for increased strength Mapping functional genes and sequencing of the chicken genome Underlying mechanisms of humoral immunity Model for study of human thyroid disease Model for study of human vitiligo
Industry Industry Medicine Medicine Medicine
1
Source: The Poultry Science Association Foundation.
lic. Covering the range of disciplines from genetics to nutrition to physiology to management to product technology, the ultimate goals of these early poultry scientists were 2-fold: scientific discovery and providing the best scientific information available to the fledgling poultry industry. The discoveries—many of them profound and fundamental—enabled the poultry industry to become what it is today, surpassing all other animal agriculture production in per capita consumption. Through the years, these discoveries have made significant contributions to human medicine as well (Table 1). As societal concerns about animal agriculture increased, and as changes in the poultry industry and universities reduced the numbers of poultry scientists and thus membership in PSA (Figure 1), it became apparent that the PSA needed to undertake a more critical review of its purpose to maintain relevance. Although the vast majority of PSA’s scientific members are universitybased, many contributing scientific members are from government and industry. Together, our members have the expertise and background to change how the PSA
Figure 1. Membership trends (professional, student, and institutional) for the Poultry Science Association from 1992 to 2005.
strategically operates. Addressing concerns that were clearly very big issues as if they were immediate crises was no longer a viable approach. Before 2001, the PSA had never undertaken rigorous, systematic strategic planning. Successive Boards of Directors set agendas and developed initiatives that were relatively short-term. The PSA Board for many years has been advised by a Long-Range Planning Committee, a diverse committee with regard to expertise, length of PSA involvement, and perspective. The role of the Long-Range Planning Committee has been to advise the Board in the areas of programmatic and organizational development. In 2001, under the leadership of William Saylor, the Board initiated a formal strategic planning effort. An application was accepted to send a team to the “Cultivating Leadership for a Changing Agriculture Program”—a leadership program sponsored jointly by the Institute for Conservation Leadership and the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). In May 2001, the team, comprising Murray Bakst, Mary Beck, and Greg Martin, attended a 3-d Shared Leadership I Workshop in Colorado Springs, CO. In August 2001, the PSA Board of Directors, joined by the chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee, participated in a one-day strategic planning exercise facilitated by a company called “Like-Minded People” in Indianapolis, IN. This exercise resulted in a set of strategic goals, a number of which were directly influenced by the experiences in the Shared Leadership I Workshop. In 2003, the PSA, under the leadership of Mary Beck, took a new direction by establishing the PSA Foundation. The Foundation was envisioned to provide expanded resources and opportunities for the PSA organization as a whole and on an individual member basis. Under the leadership of James Denton, the first foundation Board of Trustees established strategic directions and initiatives
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Bursa of Fabricius and B-cell function (Glick, 1956) Development of a line of chickens with autoimmune thyroiditis Smyth line of chickens with autoimmune vitiligo
Industry Industry
3
STRATEGIC PLAN Table 2. Core values of the Poultry Science Association Core value 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Integrity in scientific research Social, ethical, and environmental responsibility in poultry food production Sustained dissemination of high-quality research-based poultry information All segments of poultry production and allied industries An environment that fosters stimulating exchange of ideas and knowledge that can lead to new discoveries The diversity of its members and leaders Leadership and professional development for current and future members and leaders
MISSION The PSA is a global scientific society dedicated to discovery and dissemination of knowledge, generated by poultry research that enhances human and animal health and well-being and provides for the ethical, sustainable production of food.
VALUES AND BELIEFS Core values as listed in Table 2 are the foundation of the PSA’s mission, purpose, and vision.
CONSTITUENCY AND OTHER IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS The PSA serves its members, industry, and the public by disseminating scientific information developed through the study of poultry species resulting in the production of a safe food supply, advances in medicine, conservation of the environment, and the development of the next generation of scientists and industry leaders. The PSA constituents, beneficiaries, and stakeholders include its active members (professionals, students, and institutions; Figure 1), members of the United States Branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association (WPSA), students training in poultry science disciplines, the poultry
industry, allied industries, trade associations, policy makers and government agencies, leaders in animal agriculture, individuals interested in poultry and animal science who attend PSA’s annual meetings and read its journals but are not current members, and consumers of poultry products.
VISION Throughout its long history, the PSA has remained a science-based society whose primary focus has been to disseminate sound scientific information through its annual meeting and through 2 journals, Poultry Science and, more recently, The Journal of Applied Poultry Research. New challenges now require that the PSA adopt a bolder, more resolute, and more dynamic vision as we seek to build a stronger, more vibrant organization during the next 5 to 10 yr. The Association’s vision is to be a pre-eminent global organization of poultry scientists and industry leaders, firmly grounded in scientific endeavor related to the biology and the production of poultry. Increased membership diversity will be pursued by recruiting people of varied geographic, gender, cultural, and scientific backgrounds—including health and medicine—leading to a diverse leadership. The PSA will serve as the clearinghouse for poultry science information and provide through its Foundation significant financial support to students and young scientists engaged in poultry science research, teaching, and outreach education. The PSA, in partnership with the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS), will be a highly credible, well-respected, powerful force that is able to influence policy makers at governmental levels for the benefit of animal agriculture by delivering sound scientific information.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS 1. Strengthen PSA’s current core membership to attract greater, more diverse participation in the life of the organization through improved services and outreach. The PSA values diversity in membership and is aware that others, not currently engaged in the organization, would contribute to the Association resulting in broader-
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that would enable the development of a strong financial base for the PSA. In 2004, with one member of the original Shared Leadership I team still a member of the Board, the PSA’s application to participate in Shared Leadership II was accepted. Mary Beck, Patricia Hester, Tony Pescatore, and James Kessler attended the workshop in Glynwood Center, NY. During intense discussions, it was decided that the next level of strategic planning for the PSA was needed to maintain the viability of the organization. A proposal for strategic planning was submitted to and accepted by the PSA Board. Pam Mavrolas from the Institute for Conservation Leadership was engaged to facilitate the process. A Strategic Planning Committee was formed consisting of the authors of this paper. Its composition included members of the PSA Board, the LongRange Planning Committee, past presidents of the PSA, the PSA Foundation President, and the PSA Executive Director. The following is the result of the yearlong strategic planning effort.
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HESTER ET AL.
strengthened today’s poultry industry and benefited the consumer. Despite the Association’s contribution in delivering scientific information, the organization is not well known, even within the context of the industry it serves. Highlighting profound and significant scientific findings that benefit industry and society (Table 1) will lead to improved relationships between the Association and the people it serves.
3. Increase PSA’s presence in the international scientific community.
4. Reach out to and engage other poultry and animal science organizations, university departments, industry producers, trade associations, and government agencies, while continuing to retain PSA’s distinct niche as a poultry-focused scientific society.
Figure 2. A) International membership in the Poultry Science Association (PSA) in 2005 is 22% of total membership with 78% representing Canadian and United States members. B) There are 6,472 members (92%) of the World’s Poultry Science Association (WPSA) who are not members of the PSA, with the remaining 528 members (8%) of the WPSA also having membership with the PSA.
based participation. Therefore, efforts to be more global in scope, engage all facets of the poultry industry, create opportunities for more student participation, and recruit members from other branches of science and the international community will create a richer scientific dialogue and a more viable organization. Enhanced communication and outreach as well as innovative and creative membership services will be required to attract and retain new and nontraditional members.
The PSA was founded on the principles inherent in scientific discovery but must expand its horizons to include scientific liaison with policy makers. Many contentious issues facing the poultry industry are common to all of animal agriculture, e.g., bioterrorism, air emissions, food safety, and animal welfare. Resolution of issues must be based on science rather than emotion. A unified scientific voice with other societies involved in animal agriculture and food production will empower and strengthen the Association when dealing with such issues. Interactions with other animal societies include a strong presence of the PSA in the FASS scientific liaison effort in Washington; and alliances with the American Association of Avian Pathologists, among others, are additional venues that will be explored as potential strategic outreach efforts.
2. Market and publicize to a broader interested audience the scientific contributions and critical role that the PSA has played and continues to play in facilitating knowledge transfer of poultry science.
5. Invest in the PSA’s current and future members and leaders by providing professional and leadership development opportunities and by creating new structures and opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate more fully in the organization.
The PSA has historically provided the venue for presenting and publishing scientific findings that have
The PSA membership values the core services currently provided, but members clearly desire increased opportu-
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The greatest potential for membership growth and outreach of the PSA is through the international scientific community (Figure 2). International scientists attend the annual meeting and publish in our journals because of their high impact value. Facilitating the engagement of the international scientific community by minimizing financial, language, and geographical barriers will lead to a more vibrant and global association.
STRATEGIC PLAN
nities to participate in society activities, recognition, and increased services related to professional development. Continuing education, improving leadership skills of our membership, and early training and integration of our students into society functions are germane to our continued existence and will provide the potential for growth and strength as an Association.
6. Create innovative ways, primarily through web-based technology, for PSA members around the world to seamlessly communicate, collaborate, network, and share information.
7. Work collaboratively with the newly formed PSA Foundation to generate funding that will (a) create high-quality, cutting-edge scientific programs that will enhance and increase the visibility and credibility of the PSA with its current members and other allied constituencies and (b) provide on-going core support for the PSA. Even though the PSA is intimately involved in dissemination of knowledge, stimulation of scientific discovery, and the application of science-based information, there are often unique challenges that can benefit from additional targeted efforts and more focused financial support. The opportunities for this added “margin of excellence” created by the generosity of Foundation donors will extend the influence of the PSA beyond the traditional arenas. The Foundation would serve as a means of providing support for addressing contemporary issues affecting the poultry industry that include, but are not limited to, a) sustaining a wholesome and viable food supply, b) providing a cleaner environment, and c) contributing to the well-being of people globally. Through initiatives designed to connect more strongly with the poultry industry and society at large, the Foundation’s activities will complement the strategic direction number 2 above. This collaboration will truly allow the members of the PSA to become more global in their influence and provide greater overall benefits to the industry and people worldwide.
OUTCOME GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Outcome Goal #1. The PSA is a well-known and respected leader, innovator, and collaborator in advancing the field of poultry science. Objective A: The PSA will consider the employment of an outside consulting firm to develop a marketing plan for the organization targeted to key government, industry, and academic constituencies that will tell the story of the valuable role PSA has played and continues to play in the advancement of poultry science knowledge, raise the overall visibility of the PSA, describe the value and benefits of PSA membership, and publicize its future plans and innovative directions. Objective B: The PSA will create and take advantage of opportunities and develop strategies for improving its outreach and cooperation with other industry, government, institutions, and organizations interested in advancing poultry sciences. Examples of strategies include: i) to continue jointly sponsored annual meetings and symposia; ii) to enhance representation on other organizations’ committees with a clear tie back to the PSA, especially trade associations; iii) to work proactively with other societies on issues such as international trade, food safety, environmental quality, and animal welfare; and iv) to establish PSA Web site links to trade associations, government agencies, and industry. Objective C: The PSA will work closely with the newly formed PSA Foundation to generate funding for creative, cutting-edge scientific programs that will enhance and increase the visibility and credibility of the PSA with its current members and other allied constituencies.
Outcome Goal #2: The PSA values its members and wisely invests in their leadership and professional skills and abilities. Objective D: The PSA will start early to develop its future members and leaders by engaging and investing in poultry science graduate and undergraduate students by: i) forming a student caucus with officers, representation, or liaison to the PSA Board of Directors and a voice in the PSA newsletter; ii) identifying an advocate at each major poultry science program who will encourage students to join and participate in PSA; iii) continuing to publicize and provide free membership to students; iv) providing competitive student travel grants to the PSA annual meetings; v) including the cost of student attendance at the awards banquet and other social events in the student annual meeting registration fee; vi) publicizing the PSA through the Future Farmers of America Web site, the 4-H careers
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Collegial networking enhances communication and promotes engagement. Expedient exchange and discussion of scientific information facilitates discovery and transfer of knowledge. Networking brings together academic, industry, and government personnel around issues, employment opportunities, and information sharing.
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Outcome Goal #3: The PSA increases its international presence, services, and membership. Objective G: The PSA will develop outreach strategies and a package of benefits to increase its international membership by 20% (approximately a 44-member increase) over the next 5 yr. Examples of specific strategies and activities include: i) create an ambassador program of current PSA and WPSA members located outside the United States that could provide a personal connection to help recruit and engage new and potential international members in their respective nations; ii) survey international members to better determine their needs and requests of the PSA; iii) examine and implement strategies for enhancing international participation from other scientific societies that already serve a worldwide membership successfully; iv) create an international scientific fellowship program within the PSA or in partnership with others interested in poultry research; v) encourage membership from developing countries by reducing annual member dues; vi) create web-based packages of “hot” and important global topics translated into languages other than English (initially Spanish); vii) encourage members to submit materials for posting on the PSA Web site in alternative languages; viii) hold international symposia at PSA’s annual meeting; ix) encourage increased submission of international papers, publications, and talks in PSA publications and at PSA meetings; and x) create a 3-slide summary about the PSA that can be used by PSA members as they present in other countries. Objective H: The PSA will develop a grants-supported international consulting enterprise that will maintain a clearinghouse of scientific expertise in the poultry disciplines and place its members in international poultry science projects. The
PSA will act as a primary medium to assist organizations to find needed talent, will draft proposals, and seek funding to address specific needs of countries seeking assistance, i.e., through the Peace Corps or the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The PSA will generate revenue from this endeavor by charging indirect costs for administration.
Outcome Goal #4. The PSA is a financially sound organization that continues to grow and improve upon its member services, particularly its journals, annual meeting, and collegial networking and recognition. Objective I: Improve the quality and attractiveness of the PSA’s annual meeting to a more diverse community by i) forming a 4-year program planning group that identifies specific themes for each meeting at least 3 years in advance; ii) planning symposia around each year’s theme and publicize widely and well in advance of the meeting; iii) holding leadership and professional development workshops and symposia with continuing education credit; iv) increase student attendance and participation; v) better integrating FASS workshops and ancillary scientist symposia into the PSA annual meeting; and vi) adding new topics for sessions such as behavior, biomedicine, and sustainable agriculture that can attract a more diverse audience. Objective J: The PSA will expand and improve upon its current member awards and recognition by i) recognizing and rewarding the work and accomplishments of early-career members; ii) developing a lifetime achievement award for outstanding people; iii) publicizing the PSA award winners more rigorously and creatively; iv) re-establishing honorary membership for industry greatness; and v) recognizing member’s high-quality research by creating “so what/what difference did it make” stories for the PSA Web site. Objective K: The PSA will enhance its published journals by including new topic areas that appeal to a wider audience (e.g., sustainable agriculture or biomedicine). Objective L: The PSA will continue to contribute to and play an active role in FASS, by active support of the scientific liaison function and participation on FASS committees by our members. Objective M: By incorporating the strategies and activities identified under goals 1 through 3, the PSA should increase its total national and international professional and student membership by 10% (by approximately 100 members) over the 2005 membership total of 1,016 in the next 5 years. Objective N: The PSA will examine its member retention rate over time, survey members who choose not to renew to deter-
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program, and other youth-oriented agricultural organizations; and vii) selecting several session chairs from members in the first 5 years of their postgraduate career. Objective E: The PSA will provide its membership with professional and leadership development opportunities including, but not limited to: i) continuing education credits offered at the PSA annual meeting; ii) web links or files with resume building and interview skill information; iii) workshops at annual meetings that focus on grant writing, statistics, leadership skills, how to review a paper, applications of molecular biology, animal care (university and industry); and iv) fee-based access for distance learning symposia. Objective F: The PSA will continue to encourage volunteerism of its members and provide new opportunities for all members to contribute, including: i) a volunteer link on the PSA’s Web site that makes it easy for members to volunteer their expertise; and ii) the creation of a professional development component as an additional charge of the Membership Committee.
STRATEGIC PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND PLAN RENEWAL Ongoing, regularly scheduled monitoring, evaluation, and course correction will be implemented to ensure that the PSA’s strategic plan is a living framework for sound
decision-making. A good monitoring and evaluation process allows for continued assessment of the external environment, learning from previous actions, and discussion of options. The PSA Board of Directors will establish a Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the PSA Strategic Plan. Committee composition includes the chair of the LongRange Planning Committee, 2 members of the PSA Board of Directors, 2 members from the Strategic Planning Team, and the PSA Executive Director. Initially, 1 member each from the Strategic Planning Team and Board of Directors will serve a 3-year term, and the other a 2-year term. The chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee rotates annually, and the PSA Executive Director will be a permanent member. The PSA President appoints the chair of the Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee. Assessment will include discussion of questions such as: Which of our objectives and major activities are we accomplishing? Which are we not getting to or making headway on? Why? What are we learning from how we are doing this work? What changes or course corrections do we need to make at this point? The Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee will summarize its assessment and recommend any course changes in a report to the PSA Board of Directors at the annual meeting. The chair of the Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee will present a report to the PSA membership at the annual business meeting. To keep the strategic plan moving forward, it will take the vision, energy, and dedication of PSA leaders and members to ensure that the plan is well implemented, monitored, and altered appropriately, keeping it a living plan of action.
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mine why, and develop strategies to increase member retention and make dues payment easy. Objective O: The PSA will work closely with the PSA Foundation to establish essential core funding (a goal of $5 million) particularly from individual and corporate donors that will help keep the PSA financially solvent and sustainable for years to come. Objective P: The PSA will develop innovative web-based technology that can foster ongoing exchange of research, information, and job opportunities in the poultry science field. Ideas include: i) creating issues sites, topics of wide interest to members and nonmembers, as a place to encourage discussion; an issues editor, whose job it is to keep each issue site current, will manage these sites and will establish links to the FASS Scientific Liaison office and FASS committees; ii) establishing up to 20 discussion boards by topic for PSA members with each topic reviewed at approximately 6-mo intervals and the removal of unused boards; iii) creating a job postings section on the PSA Web site where portable document format (PDF) files from industry or academia/government are posted and available to members; iv) posting PDF files of PSA member curricula vitae; and v) enhancing fee-based links to industry websites.
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ABSTRACT The Poultry Science Association (PSA) leadership has created its first comprehensive 5-year strategic plan (2006 to 2010) as a guide to the organization’s growth and development. As societal concerns about animal agriculture increase and as changes in the poultry industry and in universities reduce the numbers of poultry scientists and thus membership in PSA, it became apparent that, to maintain relevance, the PSA needed to undertake a more rigorous and comprehensive review of its assets, areas of weakness, and reasons for being. The strategic planning process provided the lens for organizational analysis and planning. Our new mission for the PSA is to be a global scientific society dedicated to discovery and dissemination of knowledge, generated by poultry research that enhances human and animal health and well-being and provides for the ethical, sustainable production of food. The Association’s vision is to be a preeminent global organization of poultry scientists and industry leaders, firmly grounded in scientific endeavors related to the biology and production of poultry. In-
creased membership diversity will be pursued by recruiting people of varied geographic, gender, cultural, and scientific backgrounds—including health and medicine— leading to a diverse leadership. The PSA will serve as the clearinghouse for poultry science information and provide through its Foundation significant financial support to students and young scientists engaged in poultry science research, teaching, and outreach education. The PSA, in partnership with the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS), will be a highly credible, well-respected, powerful force that is able to influence policy makers at governmental levels for the benefit of animal agriculture by delivering sound scientific information. The strategic plan highlights strategic directions to be implemented as well as assessment of progress. It will take the vision, energy, and dedication of PSA leaders and members to ensure that the strategic plan is well implemented, monitored, and altered appropriately, keeping it a living plan of action.
Key words: Poultry Science Association, strategic plan 2006–2010 2007 Poultry Science 86:1–7
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The Poultry Science Association (PSA) was organized in 1908 by poultry scientists at Cornell and Guelph as a professional scientific society through which they could share research findings and disseminate them to the pub-
©2006 Poultry Science Association, Inc. Received September 26, 2005. Accepted October 5, 2005. *Corresponding author: [email protected]
1
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Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907; 2Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409; 3Poultry Science Department, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849; 4Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701; 5Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Science Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701; 6Novus International, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri 63141; 7Poultry Science Association, Savoy, Illinois 61874; 8Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Georgetown, Delaware 19947; 9Institute for Conservation Leadership, Bozeman, Montana 59715; 10Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108; 11Department of Animal Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546; 12Embrex, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709; 13Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2P5; 14Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912; 15Animal Health/Nutrition, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., Quincy, Illinois 62301; 16Animal Science Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996; 17Akey, Inc., Marysville, Ohio 43040; 18Poultry Science Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30605; 19Poultry Science Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695; 20Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583; and 21 Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716
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HESTER ET AL.
Table 1. Examples of significant discoveries that have strengthened today’s poultry industry and benefited the consumer1 Discovery
Application
Beneficiary
Slow-feathering gene (Serebrovsky, 1922) Purified diets (Baker in the 1950s and 1960s)
Feather sexing Supplementation of diets sparing the costs of high protein ingredients Automated in ovo vaccination Blood testing to identify breeding stock carriers of Salmonella and other organisms Lighting programs Reduction of leg problems and fatty livers Correction of nutritional deficiencies Development of Best Management Practices in land application of litter as a fertilizer Reduction of phosphorus in diets and excreted waste
Industry
Embryonic vaccination (Sharma) Vertical transmission of Salmonella and other food safety organisms from breeder hens to offspring Photoperiodism Choline, methionine, and folic acid Vitamins Poultry manure as a source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium Use of dietary phytase to increase the biological availability of phosphorus Adding value to poultry food products and by-products of processing Advancements in the control of Marek’s Disease and ascites
Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry Industry
Ready-to-eat meat products, omega-3 fatty acid–enriched eggs, incorporation of feather waste into plastics for increased strength Mapping functional genes and sequencing of the chicken genome Underlying mechanisms of humoral immunity Model for study of human thyroid disease Model for study of human vitiligo
Industry Industry Medicine Medicine Medicine
1
Source: The Poultry Science Association Foundation.
lic. Covering the range of disciplines from genetics to nutrition to physiology to management to product technology, the ultimate goals of these early poultry scientists were 2-fold: scientific discovery and providing the best scientific information available to the fledgling poultry industry. The discoveries—many of them profound and fundamental—enabled the poultry industry to become what it is today, surpassing all other animal agriculture production in per capita consumption. Through the years, these discoveries have made significant contributions to human medicine as well (Table 1). As societal concerns about animal agriculture increased, and as changes in the poultry industry and universities reduced the numbers of poultry scientists and thus membership in PSA (Figure 1), it became apparent that the PSA needed to undertake a more critical review of its purpose to maintain relevance. Although the vast majority of PSA’s scientific members are universitybased, many contributing scientific members are from government and industry. Together, our members have the expertise and background to change how the PSA
Figure 1. Membership trends (professional, student, and institutional) for the Poultry Science Association from 1992 to 2005.
strategically operates. Addressing concerns that were clearly very big issues as if they were immediate crises was no longer a viable approach. Before 2001, the PSA had never undertaken rigorous, systematic strategic planning. Successive Boards of Directors set agendas and developed initiatives that were relatively short-term. The PSA Board for many years has been advised by a Long-Range Planning Committee, a diverse committee with regard to expertise, length of PSA involvement, and perspective. The role of the Long-Range Planning Committee has been to advise the Board in the areas of programmatic and organizational development. In 2001, under the leadership of William Saylor, the Board initiated a formal strategic planning effort. An application was accepted to send a team to the “Cultivating Leadership for a Changing Agriculture Program”—a leadership program sponsored jointly by the Institute for Conservation Leadership and the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). In May 2001, the team, comprising Murray Bakst, Mary Beck, and Greg Martin, attended a 3-d Shared Leadership I Workshop in Colorado Springs, CO. In August 2001, the PSA Board of Directors, joined by the chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee, participated in a one-day strategic planning exercise facilitated by a company called “Like-Minded People” in Indianapolis, IN. This exercise resulted in a set of strategic goals, a number of which were directly influenced by the experiences in the Shared Leadership I Workshop. In 2003, the PSA, under the leadership of Mary Beck, took a new direction by establishing the PSA Foundation. The Foundation was envisioned to provide expanded resources and opportunities for the PSA organization as a whole and on an individual member basis. Under the leadership of James Denton, the first foundation Board of Trustees established strategic directions and initiatives
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Bursa of Fabricius and B-cell function (Glick, 1956) Development of a line of chickens with autoimmune thyroiditis Smyth line of chickens with autoimmune vitiligo
Industry Industry
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STRATEGIC PLAN Table 2. Core values of the Poultry Science Association Core value 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Integrity in scientific research Social, ethical, and environmental responsibility in poultry food production Sustained dissemination of high-quality research-based poultry information All segments of poultry production and allied industries An environment that fosters stimulating exchange of ideas and knowledge that can lead to new discoveries The diversity of its members and leaders Leadership and professional development for current and future members and leaders
MISSION The PSA is a global scientific society dedicated to discovery and dissemination of knowledge, generated by poultry research that enhances human and animal health and well-being and provides for the ethical, sustainable production of food.
VALUES AND BELIEFS Core values as listed in Table 2 are the foundation of the PSA’s mission, purpose, and vision.
CONSTITUENCY AND OTHER IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS The PSA serves its members, industry, and the public by disseminating scientific information developed through the study of poultry species resulting in the production of a safe food supply, advances in medicine, conservation of the environment, and the development of the next generation of scientists and industry leaders. The PSA constituents, beneficiaries, and stakeholders include its active members (professionals, students, and institutions; Figure 1), members of the United States Branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association (WPSA), students training in poultry science disciplines, the poultry
industry, allied industries, trade associations, policy makers and government agencies, leaders in animal agriculture, individuals interested in poultry and animal science who attend PSA’s annual meetings and read its journals but are not current members, and consumers of poultry products.
VISION Throughout its long history, the PSA has remained a science-based society whose primary focus has been to disseminate sound scientific information through its annual meeting and through 2 journals, Poultry Science and, more recently, The Journal of Applied Poultry Research. New challenges now require that the PSA adopt a bolder, more resolute, and more dynamic vision as we seek to build a stronger, more vibrant organization during the next 5 to 10 yr. The Association’s vision is to be a pre-eminent global organization of poultry scientists and industry leaders, firmly grounded in scientific endeavor related to the biology and the production of poultry. Increased membership diversity will be pursued by recruiting people of varied geographic, gender, cultural, and scientific backgrounds—including health and medicine—leading to a diverse leadership. The PSA will serve as the clearinghouse for poultry science information and provide through its Foundation significant financial support to students and young scientists engaged in poultry science research, teaching, and outreach education. The PSA, in partnership with the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS), will be a highly credible, well-respected, powerful force that is able to influence policy makers at governmental levels for the benefit of animal agriculture by delivering sound scientific information.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS 1. Strengthen PSA’s current core membership to attract greater, more diverse participation in the life of the organization through improved services and outreach. The PSA values diversity in membership and is aware that others, not currently engaged in the organization, would contribute to the Association resulting in broader-
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that would enable the development of a strong financial base for the PSA. In 2004, with one member of the original Shared Leadership I team still a member of the Board, the PSA’s application to participate in Shared Leadership II was accepted. Mary Beck, Patricia Hester, Tony Pescatore, and James Kessler attended the workshop in Glynwood Center, NY. During intense discussions, it was decided that the next level of strategic planning for the PSA was needed to maintain the viability of the organization. A proposal for strategic planning was submitted to and accepted by the PSA Board. Pam Mavrolas from the Institute for Conservation Leadership was engaged to facilitate the process. A Strategic Planning Committee was formed consisting of the authors of this paper. Its composition included members of the PSA Board, the LongRange Planning Committee, past presidents of the PSA, the PSA Foundation President, and the PSA Executive Director. The following is the result of the yearlong strategic planning effort.
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strengthened today’s poultry industry and benefited the consumer. Despite the Association’s contribution in delivering scientific information, the organization is not well known, even within the context of the industry it serves. Highlighting profound and significant scientific findings that benefit industry and society (Table 1) will lead to improved relationships between the Association and the people it serves.
3. Increase PSA’s presence in the international scientific community.
4. Reach out to and engage other poultry and animal science organizations, university departments, industry producers, trade associations, and government agencies, while continuing to retain PSA’s distinct niche as a poultry-focused scientific society.
Figure 2. A) International membership in the Poultry Science Association (PSA) in 2005 is 22% of total membership with 78% representing Canadian and United States members. B) There are 6,472 members (92%) of the World’s Poultry Science Association (WPSA) who are not members of the PSA, with the remaining 528 members (8%) of the WPSA also having membership with the PSA.
based participation. Therefore, efforts to be more global in scope, engage all facets of the poultry industry, create opportunities for more student participation, and recruit members from other branches of science and the international community will create a richer scientific dialogue and a more viable organization. Enhanced communication and outreach as well as innovative and creative membership services will be required to attract and retain new and nontraditional members.
The PSA was founded on the principles inherent in scientific discovery but must expand its horizons to include scientific liaison with policy makers. Many contentious issues facing the poultry industry are common to all of animal agriculture, e.g., bioterrorism, air emissions, food safety, and animal welfare. Resolution of issues must be based on science rather than emotion. A unified scientific voice with other societies involved in animal agriculture and food production will empower and strengthen the Association when dealing with such issues. Interactions with other animal societies include a strong presence of the PSA in the FASS scientific liaison effort in Washington; and alliances with the American Association of Avian Pathologists, among others, are additional venues that will be explored as potential strategic outreach efforts.
2. Market and publicize to a broader interested audience the scientific contributions and critical role that the PSA has played and continues to play in facilitating knowledge transfer of poultry science.
5. Invest in the PSA’s current and future members and leaders by providing professional and leadership development opportunities and by creating new structures and opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate more fully in the organization.
The PSA has historically provided the venue for presenting and publishing scientific findings that have
The PSA membership values the core services currently provided, but members clearly desire increased opportu-
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The greatest potential for membership growth and outreach of the PSA is through the international scientific community (Figure 2). International scientists attend the annual meeting and publish in our journals because of their high impact value. Facilitating the engagement of the international scientific community by minimizing financial, language, and geographical barriers will lead to a more vibrant and global association.
STRATEGIC PLAN
nities to participate in society activities, recognition, and increased services related to professional development. Continuing education, improving leadership skills of our membership, and early training and integration of our students into society functions are germane to our continued existence and will provide the potential for growth and strength as an Association.
6. Create innovative ways, primarily through web-based technology, for PSA members around the world to seamlessly communicate, collaborate, network, and share information.
7. Work collaboratively with the newly formed PSA Foundation to generate funding that will (a) create high-quality, cutting-edge scientific programs that will enhance and increase the visibility and credibility of the PSA with its current members and other allied constituencies and (b) provide on-going core support for the PSA. Even though the PSA is intimately involved in dissemination of knowledge, stimulation of scientific discovery, and the application of science-based information, there are often unique challenges that can benefit from additional targeted efforts and more focused financial support. The opportunities for this added “margin of excellence” created by the generosity of Foundation donors will extend the influence of the PSA beyond the traditional arenas. The Foundation would serve as a means of providing support for addressing contemporary issues affecting the poultry industry that include, but are not limited to, a) sustaining a wholesome and viable food supply, b) providing a cleaner environment, and c) contributing to the well-being of people globally. Through initiatives designed to connect more strongly with the poultry industry and society at large, the Foundation’s activities will complement the strategic direction number 2 above. This collaboration will truly allow the members of the PSA to become more global in their influence and provide greater overall benefits to the industry and people worldwide.
OUTCOME GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Outcome Goal #1. The PSA is a well-known and respected leader, innovator, and collaborator in advancing the field of poultry science. Objective A: The PSA will consider the employment of an outside consulting firm to develop a marketing plan for the organization targeted to key government, industry, and academic constituencies that will tell the story of the valuable role PSA has played and continues to play in the advancement of poultry science knowledge, raise the overall visibility of the PSA, describe the value and benefits of PSA membership, and publicize its future plans and innovative directions. Objective B: The PSA will create and take advantage of opportunities and develop strategies for improving its outreach and cooperation with other industry, government, institutions, and organizations interested in advancing poultry sciences. Examples of strategies include: i) to continue jointly sponsored annual meetings and symposia; ii) to enhance representation on other organizations’ committees with a clear tie back to the PSA, especially trade associations; iii) to work proactively with other societies on issues such as international trade, food safety, environmental quality, and animal welfare; and iv) to establish PSA Web site links to trade associations, government agencies, and industry. Objective C: The PSA will work closely with the newly formed PSA Foundation to generate funding for creative, cutting-edge scientific programs that will enhance and increase the visibility and credibility of the PSA with its current members and other allied constituencies.
Outcome Goal #2: The PSA values its members and wisely invests in their leadership and professional skills and abilities. Objective D: The PSA will start early to develop its future members and leaders by engaging and investing in poultry science graduate and undergraduate students by: i) forming a student caucus with officers, representation, or liaison to the PSA Board of Directors and a voice in the PSA newsletter; ii) identifying an advocate at each major poultry science program who will encourage students to join and participate in PSA; iii) continuing to publicize and provide free membership to students; iv) providing competitive student travel grants to the PSA annual meetings; v) including the cost of student attendance at the awards banquet and other social events in the student annual meeting registration fee; vi) publicizing the PSA through the Future Farmers of America Web site, the 4-H careers
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Collegial networking enhances communication and promotes engagement. Expedient exchange and discussion of scientific information facilitates discovery and transfer of knowledge. Networking brings together academic, industry, and government personnel around issues, employment opportunities, and information sharing.
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Outcome Goal #3: The PSA increases its international presence, services, and membership. Objective G: The PSA will develop outreach strategies and a package of benefits to increase its international membership by 20% (approximately a 44-member increase) over the next 5 yr. Examples of specific strategies and activities include: i) create an ambassador program of current PSA and WPSA members located outside the United States that could provide a personal connection to help recruit and engage new and potential international members in their respective nations; ii) survey international members to better determine their needs and requests of the PSA; iii) examine and implement strategies for enhancing international participation from other scientific societies that already serve a worldwide membership successfully; iv) create an international scientific fellowship program within the PSA or in partnership with others interested in poultry research; v) encourage membership from developing countries by reducing annual member dues; vi) create web-based packages of “hot” and important global topics translated into languages other than English (initially Spanish); vii) encourage members to submit materials for posting on the PSA Web site in alternative languages; viii) hold international symposia at PSA’s annual meeting; ix) encourage increased submission of international papers, publications, and talks in PSA publications and at PSA meetings; and x) create a 3-slide summary about the PSA that can be used by PSA members as they present in other countries. Objective H: The PSA will develop a grants-supported international consulting enterprise that will maintain a clearinghouse of scientific expertise in the poultry disciplines and place its members in international poultry science projects. The
PSA will act as a primary medium to assist organizations to find needed talent, will draft proposals, and seek funding to address specific needs of countries seeking assistance, i.e., through the Peace Corps or the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The PSA will generate revenue from this endeavor by charging indirect costs for administration.
Outcome Goal #4. The PSA is a financially sound organization that continues to grow and improve upon its member services, particularly its journals, annual meeting, and collegial networking and recognition. Objective I: Improve the quality and attractiveness of the PSA’s annual meeting to a more diverse community by i) forming a 4-year program planning group that identifies specific themes for each meeting at least 3 years in advance; ii) planning symposia around each year’s theme and publicize widely and well in advance of the meeting; iii) holding leadership and professional development workshops and symposia with continuing education credit; iv) increase student attendance and participation; v) better integrating FASS workshops and ancillary scientist symposia into the PSA annual meeting; and vi) adding new topics for sessions such as behavior, biomedicine, and sustainable agriculture that can attract a more diverse audience. Objective J: The PSA will expand and improve upon its current member awards and recognition by i) recognizing and rewarding the work and accomplishments of early-career members; ii) developing a lifetime achievement award for outstanding people; iii) publicizing the PSA award winners more rigorously and creatively; iv) re-establishing honorary membership for industry greatness; and v) recognizing member’s high-quality research by creating “so what/what difference did it make” stories for the PSA Web site. Objective K: The PSA will enhance its published journals by including new topic areas that appeal to a wider audience (e.g., sustainable agriculture or biomedicine). Objective L: The PSA will continue to contribute to and play an active role in FASS, by active support of the scientific liaison function and participation on FASS committees by our members. Objective M: By incorporating the strategies and activities identified under goals 1 through 3, the PSA should increase its total national and international professional and student membership by 10% (by approximately 100 members) over the 2005 membership total of 1,016 in the next 5 years. Objective N: The PSA will examine its member retention rate over time, survey members who choose not to renew to deter-
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program, and other youth-oriented agricultural organizations; and vii) selecting several session chairs from members in the first 5 years of their postgraduate career. Objective E: The PSA will provide its membership with professional and leadership development opportunities including, but not limited to: i) continuing education credits offered at the PSA annual meeting; ii) web links or files with resume building and interview skill information; iii) workshops at annual meetings that focus on grant writing, statistics, leadership skills, how to review a paper, applications of molecular biology, animal care (university and industry); and iv) fee-based access for distance learning symposia. Objective F: The PSA will continue to encourage volunteerism of its members and provide new opportunities for all members to contribute, including: i) a volunteer link on the PSA’s Web site that makes it easy for members to volunteer their expertise; and ii) the creation of a professional development component as an additional charge of the Membership Committee.
STRATEGIC PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND PLAN RENEWAL Ongoing, regularly scheduled monitoring, evaluation, and course correction will be implemented to ensure that the PSA’s strategic plan is a living framework for sound
decision-making. A good monitoring and evaluation process allows for continued assessment of the external environment, learning from previous actions, and discussion of options. The PSA Board of Directors will establish a Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the PSA Strategic Plan. Committee composition includes the chair of the LongRange Planning Committee, 2 members of the PSA Board of Directors, 2 members from the Strategic Planning Team, and the PSA Executive Director. Initially, 1 member each from the Strategic Planning Team and Board of Directors will serve a 3-year term, and the other a 2-year term. The chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee rotates annually, and the PSA Executive Director will be a permanent member. The PSA President appoints the chair of the Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee. Assessment will include discussion of questions such as: Which of our objectives and major activities are we accomplishing? Which are we not getting to or making headway on? Why? What are we learning from how we are doing this work? What changes or course corrections do we need to make at this point? The Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee will summarize its assessment and recommend any course changes in a report to the PSA Board of Directors at the annual meeting. The chair of the Strategic Plan Evaluation Committee will present a report to the PSA membership at the annual business meeting. To keep the strategic plan moving forward, it will take the vision, energy, and dedication of PSA leaders and members to ensure that the plan is well implemented, monitored, and altered appropriately, keeping it a living plan of action.
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mine why, and develop strategies to increase member retention and make dues payment easy. Objective O: The PSA will work closely with the PSA Foundation to establish essential core funding (a goal of $5 million) particularly from individual and corporate donors that will help keep the PSA financially solvent and sustainable for years to come. Objective P: The PSA will develop innovative web-based technology that can foster ongoing exchange of research, information, and job opportunities in the poultry science field. Ideas include: i) creating issues sites, topics of wide interest to members and nonmembers, as a place to encourage discussion; an issues editor, whose job it is to keep each issue site current, will manage these sites and will establish links to the FASS Scientific Liaison office and FASS committees; ii) establishing up to 20 discussion boards by topic for PSA members with each topic reviewed at approximately 6-mo intervals and the removal of unused boards; iii) creating a job postings section on the PSA Web site where portable document format (PDF) files from industry or academia/government are posted and available to members; iv) posting PDF files of PSA member curricula vitae; and v) enhancing fee-based links to industry websites.
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