The Kentucky Poultry Federation was organized in 1957 as a civic and educational non-profit corporation. The federation exists for the purpose of fostering, promoting and encouraging the improvement of production and marketing of all types of poultry, poultry products, eggs and egg products in Kentucky. The Kentucky Egg Council works under the umbrella of KPF and coordinates all promotional activities of eggs and egg products.

The Federation acts as the industry liaison with the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Kentucky State Legislature, the American Egg Board, the National Chicken Council, and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

Education

KPF organizes grower educational meetings to pass along the latest information on production, housing, upgrades and anything to make poultry and egg production more efficient.

KPF is also a strong supporter of youth education programs, such as 4-H and FFA.

With the help of the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom, they developed an extensive poultry curriculum program that will eventually be used for a poultry industry job certification program.

KPF also visits high school Foods and Nutrition, Culinary, Consumer Science and Agriculture classes to discuss important facts regarding the poultry Industry, egg nutrition, and egg safety. Students also participate in an egg cooking demonstration.

National Poultry Improvement Plan

KPF oversees the National Poultry Improvement Plan within the state, which allows growers and companies to sell their products outside the state of Kentucky and the US.

NPIP was established in the early 1930’s to provide a cooperative industry, state, and federal program through which new diagnostic technology can be effectively applied to the improvement of poultry and poultry products throughout the country. The development of the NPIP was initiated to eliminate Pullorum Disease caused by Salmonella pullorum which was rampant in poultry and could cause upwards of 80% mortality in baby poultry. The program was later extended and refined to include testing and monitoring for Salmonella typhoid, Salmonella enteritidis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis, and Avian Influenza.

In addition, the NPIP currently includes commercial poultry, turkeys, waterfowl, exhibition poultry, backyard poultry, and game birds. The technical and management provisions of the NPIP have been developed jointly by Industry members and State and Federal officials. These criteria have established standards for the evaluation of poultry with respect to freedom from NPIP diseases.