Bruce Dooyema's career in poultry began in the 7th grade, when his parents bought him a dozen chickens to raise in the backyard. Now, as Director of Strategic projects at Versova, he's responsible for around 40 million of them. And as if that wasn't enough responsibility, Bruce serves as President of the International Egg Foundation, where he helps establish layer operations in countries struggling with food insecurity.

Today, Bruce walks us through what goes into managing 40 million birds, especially in a time where even the best laid plans can be entirely upended by HPAI. He also discusses his work with the the IEF, and the incredible impact they're having across the developing world.

There are so many different ways to introduce contaminants during the egg production process: improperly used chemicals, dirty equipment, poor handling techniques, the list goes on. And it's the job of today's guests to develop and enforce the protocols that prevent all that from happening, which would be a tough enough gig for one facility, let alone 15.

Kim Rice is the VP of Food Safety and Quality at Rose Acre Farms, the second largest egg producer in the US. She joins us today to talk about mitigating all of the different avenues for biological or chemical contamination, what makes the egg business unique in terms of food safety, and the several layers of bureaucracy she needs to navigate on a day-to-day basis.

Finding the right ventilation solution can be make or break for your layer operation. And especially now with the emergence of cage-free farming, making sure air is circulating evenly can be key in ensuring your chickens remain healthy and productive.

Craig Morley is in charge of sales at Aerotech, and Ross Demerly is their applications and sales engineering manager. Together they have a combined 60-plus years of experience working in agricultural ventilation, and they've been involved in some major innovations, including the rollout of the EC motor. Now, as part of a larger company called Grain and Protein Technologies Climate Control and Air Treatment, Aerotech continues to innovate alongside some big global players in the field.

Today, Craig and Ross walk us through how ventilation tech has evolved throughout their careers, how the business has changed during that time, and the ways they continue to formulate solutions for the issues facing farmers.