Clarke Elected to General Conference Committee
PRINCESS ANNE, MD - (November 5, 2012) - Dr. Maurice Clarke,
veterinarian and assistant professor in the Department of
Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences at the University of
Maryland Eastern Shore, was recently elected to the General
Conference Committee during the 41st Biennial Conference of the
National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP).
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In addition to his role at the university, Clarke has been a
member of the poultry taskforce organized by the Delmarva Poultry
Industry since 1991. Prior to joining UMES in 2008, he served as
field veterinarian and acting director for more than two years in a
poultry diagnostic laboratory in Salisbury. His primary objective
is disease diagnosis and prevention in poultry on a local, regional
and national basis.
"It is a great opportunity for UMES, a land-grant historically
black university, to be represented at this forum and to have an
input in poultry disease diagnosis and prevention on a national
scale, given its importance in international trade and the possible
zoonotic implication."
The General Conference Committee of NPIP serves as the official
advisory board to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. It
assists the USDA in planning, organizing
The diagnosis of important diseases usually results in an export
ban of poultry products until product safety can be assured. To
help the process, the committee oversees and approves the use of
products and procedures that pertain to the diagnosis and testing
of poultry diseases and establishes standards for the evaluation of
poultry breeding stock and hatchery products to ensure freedom from
egg-transmitted and hatchery-disseminated diseases.and conducting the
biennial NPIP conference, while serving as a liaison between the
USDA and the poultry industry. Members of the committee represent
the six regions in the U.S. and work to fulfill NPIP's mission to
prevent disease through new diagnostic technology and to protect
international trade.
Established in the early 1930's, NPIP was the answer to an
extremely high mortality rate in baby poultry that resulted from
pullorum disease caused by Salmonella pullorum. With the
passage of time, the program was extended and refined to include
testing and monitoring for Salmonella typhoid,
Salmonella enteritidis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum,
Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis and
avian influenza.
For more information about Clarke and his work concerning
poultry disease diagnosis and prevention, call 410-621-3374.
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Suzanne Waters Street, agriculture communication specialist,
School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences, 410-621-3850, sstreet@umes.edu.