Hoyer Dedicates New Poultry Facility at BARC

BELTSVILLE, MD – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) today dedicated a new 28,100 square foot poultry facility at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC). The new facility will be both a production and hatchery building. It will replace about a dozen old buildings built in the 1930's that are in poor condition and obsolete.

"This new facility is an important step forward in the ongoing modernization efforts across the BARC campus," Hoyer said. "It will better enable the scientists, researchers, and support staff of a number of the laboratories under BARC's Animal and Natural Resources Institute to carry on their critical research in the areas of nutrition, growth regulation, efficient reproduction, and parasitic diseases of poultry."

Aware of the pressing need to consolidate the dozen or so aging poultry facilities at BARC, Hoyer joined with Senators' Paul Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski to secure the dollars necessary to build this structure. The building features individual wings to house both chickens and turkeys. It includes a hatchery, laboratory, animal surgery suite, necropsy room, along with feed mixing and storage space.

"In 90 years, BARC has grown into the largest and most diversified agricultural research complex in the world," Hoyer said. "Today's dedication is a reminder that we must continue to increase federal investment in BARC to ensure our society maintains an affordable, safe, and high quality food supply."

Hoyer has helped secure over $124 million for renovation and modernization of the BARC facilities helping to protect the almost 5,000 acres of forest and farmland on BARC property.

"Scientists at BARC are discovering ways to protect our resources from plant and animal disease, improve water quality, advance renewable energy, and assess our nutritional needs," Hoyer concluded. "Investing in their mission can benefit the future health of all Americans."

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