RALEIGH, N.C. — Raleigh, N.C. will host the fourth edition of the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization’s (P.A.A.C.O.) poultry welfare auditor training course Oct. 6-8. The three-day course, co-sponsored by North Carolina State University’s Department of Poultry Science – Extension, is the first step in reaching P.A.A.C.O. certification status for poultry (broiler, egg layer and turkey) welfare auditors.

After passing an examination at the conclusion of the instruction, attendees move into a shadowing phase of training. Certification is granted after successfully completing two shadowed audits monitored by a P.A.A.C.O.-certified poultry auditor. So far, P.A.A.C.O. has certified more than 110 poultry welfare auditors.

More than a dozen industry-related companies are providing financial support for this year’s training, a testimony to the prestige the annual course has garnered since its inception in 2006, organizers claim. Primary contributors include Alltech; Alpharma Animal Health; Cobb; Hybrid Turkeys; Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health; Jones-Hamilton Co.; Kemin AgriFoods North America, Inc.; Lohmann Animal Health International; Novus; and Phibro Animal Health Corporation. Daily breaks will be sponsored by CEVA Biomune; Century Poultry, Inc.; and Hy-Line Layers. Biosecurity items for the hands-on segment of the training will be provided by Ivesco.

"As the reputation of our poultry auditor training has grown, its value to many of our industry partners has become obvious," said James Barton, Fayetteville, Ark., who is P.A.A.C.O. chairman. "We are proud that these firms have signed on to support P.A.A.C.O. and advance poultry welfare through this effort."

Instruction will be provided by leading industry specialists and on-farm live animal production and processing audit field experience at various sites in the Raleigh area. Course instructors include Dr. Ken Anderson, poultry science professor/Extension specialist at North Carolina State University; Dr. James Barton, laboratory director for The Poultry Federation Laboratory; Karen Christensen, director of technical services, O.K. Farms, Inc.; Dr. Eric Gingerich, staff veterinarian and adjunct assistant professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Temple Grandin, president of Grandin Livestock Handling Systems; Dr. Jesse Grimes, professor of poultry science, N.C. State; Dr. Dave Hermes, regional veterinarian for broiler chickens and turkeys, Perdue Farms Inc.; and Dr. Mike Wineland, professor of poultry sciences, N.C. State.

Hosts of the on-farm visits are Townsends Inc.; Goldsboro Milling/Butterball; and Braswell Foods.

Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis; the deadline for registration is Sept. 11.

For more information and registration materials, go to P.A.A.C.O.’s web site,

P.A.A.C.O. is consists of five animal industry organizations with extensive expertise on best-management practices and current science in animal agriculture. The organization’s purpose is to promote the humane treatment of animals through education and certification of animal auditors and to promote the profession of animal auditors. Founding and current organizations are the Federation of Animal Science Societies, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, American Association of Swine Veterinarians, American Association of Bovine Practitioners and the American Association of Avian Pathologists.