Thursday, August 30, 2012

Chatham County Poultry Council Formed, 1949


By F.H. Jeter, Extension Editor, N.C. State College, Raleigh, as published in the Charlotte Observer Aug. 22, 1949

Chatham County farmers are developing a great poultry business. Their latest step towards such a goal is to organize the Chatham County Poultry Council. The council will help them build a better poultry industry and will aid them in meeting competition, as the farming industry gets ready for future days, when money may not be so plentiful.

F.C. Brown, assistant farm agent, says representatives of the entire poultry industry of the county has met twice to study the situation. At the last meeting a permanent organization was set up with B.E. Watson of Bear Creek, Route 1, representing the producers; J.B. Wood, president of the Siler City poultry dressing plant representing the processors; D.G. Hatley, Farmers Mutual at Siler City representing the feed dealers; C.L. Fore of the Siler City Mills representing the feed manufacturers; E.J. Dark of Darks Hatchery at Pittsboro representing the hatchery business; Wade Perry of Siler City, Route 1, representing turkey growers; G.F. Burns of Pittsboro, Route 2, representing those who produce hatching eggs, Bruce Day, Moncure, Route 1, representing those who produce commercial eggs for the general market; and Tracey Jones of Siler City representing the haulers.

The interest of the general public is protected by J.B. Snipes, who is a member at large. Mr. Snipes is the county farm agent of Chatham and a man who has pushed the development of the poultry industry from the very start.

The Council met the other day and elected C.L. Fore as president and presiding officer. Earl Dark was elected vice president, and D.G. Hatley was given the job as secretary and treasurer. The Council will meet on the second Thursday of each month, alternating between Siler City and Pittsboro.

The first of that the group has set out to do is to improve the quality of the broilers produced in the Chatham area. The members intend to start some careful breeding work and to give more attention to the quality of the hatching eggs and the resulting baby chicks. The Council decided that it would suggest to all members that they allow more space in their brooder houses to the broiler chicks, so as to reduce disease and permit the birds to have plenty of ventilation and growing space. Attention also is to be given to current marketing problems so that all phases of the poultry industry may profit. F.C. Brown was authorized to look into the matter of establishing a poultry auction in the county if that seems feasible. Reports of progress are to be made at the next meeting now scheduled to be held at the county courthouse in Pittsboro on the evening of September 8 at 8 o’clock.

Following that meeting, Chatham farmers will hold their second annual county-wide Jubilee meeting at Siler City on September 16. Last year, so many people attended this meeting that no one knows the actual number present. This year, the Chatham Farm Bureau, the Lions Clubs of Pittsboro, Siler City, and Goldston; the Rotary Club of Siler City; and the Chamber of Commerce and the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Siler City are all co-operating to work out plans for this jubilee gathering. The plan is to have a barbecue dinner in addition to a speaking program and other good things.

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