"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.