Little Chicken Enterprise Brochure

Confidentiality
Because NAHMS studies rely on voluntary
participation, APHIS protects the privacy of
every participant. Only those collecting the
data will know the identity of the respondent.
No name or address is ever recorded in any
APHIS database. No data will be reported on
any individual or in a manner that would allow
the identification of an individual.

NAHMS Studies

For more information about the
Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007,
please contact
USDA–APHIS
Veterinary Services, Attention: NAHMS
NRRC Building B, Mailstop 2E7
2150 Centre Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80526–8117
Phone: (970) 494–7000
E-mail: [email protected]

Photo by NAHMS project coordinator Judy Rodriguez.

Data Collection
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS) will randomly select
a sample of small-enterprise chicken
operations (1,000 to 19,999 chickens). If
your operation is selected to participate,
NASS will send you a letter during summer
2007 explaining the study. Shortly thereafter,
a study questionnaire will be mailed to
you. If the questionnaire is not returned, a
NASS representative will contact you via
telephone and offer you the opportunity to
complete the questionnaire at that time.
Participation in the study is absolutely
voluntary and strictly confidential. Because
of the limited information that currently exists
on this segment of the chicken industry, your
participation in the study is very important.

NAHMS has developed national estimates on
disease prevalence and other factors related
to the health of U.S. dairy cattle, swine, beef
cattle, equine, poultry, catfish, and sheep.
The science-based results produced by
NAHMS have proven to be of considerable
value to the U.S. livestock, poultry, and
aquaculture industries. NAHMS studies are
National in scope,
Voluntary and confidential,
Statistically valid,
Scientific, and
Collaborative in nature.
“Data collected by this survey will help identify the
research and information needs of an emerging
segment of the poultry industry.”
—Donna Carver, D.V.M., Ph.D.,
Diplomate, American College of Poultry Veterinarians
Associate Professor and Extension Veterinarian
North Carolina State University

Or visit NAHMS on the Web at
.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis
of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where
applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status,
religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political
beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s
income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not
all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication
of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600
(voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write
to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call (800)
795–3272 (voice) or (202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an
equal opportunity provider and employer.
Cover photo by Keith Weller for the USDA–Agricultural
Research Service (ARS).
Issued February 2007

United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Program Aid No. 1921

Small-Enterprise
Chicken Study 2007
A “First Look” at
Small-Enterprise Chicken
Operations in the United States

Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007

In July and August 2007, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Center for Animal Disease Information and Analysis and National
Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) will conduct the Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007,
the first APHIS national study of operations with 1,000 to 19,999 chickens.

Study Focus
The Small-Enterprise Chicken Study 2007
is designed to provide individual participants
and stakeholders with valuable information
on this important segment of the Nation’s
poultry industry. The information will help
researchers analyze the potential spread
of poultry diseases and possible response
measures to the diseases. The SmallEnterprise Chicken Study 2007 will
Describe characteristics of smallenterprise operations, including bird
species on hand, seasonal inventory,
and marketing of free-range chickens or
eggs and organic or other niche-market
products;
■ Describe movements of animals, people,
waste products, vehicles, and equipment
on and off operations, and estimate
the distances associated with these
movements; and
■ Examine biosecurity practices, including
bird access to the outdoors.
■

“Better information always helps in making
better decisions. Surveys like this help us all to
understand where the real needs are in poultry
production and keep us focused on finding the
solutions to those issues.”
ARS photo by Stephen Ausmus.

—Carol Cardona, D.V.M., Ph.D.,
Diplomate, American College of Poultry Veterinarians
Associate Veterinarian/Extension Specialist
Veterinary Medicine Extension
University of California, Davis

USDA photo by Joe Valbuena.

How You Can Help
By participating in the Small-Enterprise
Chicken Study 2007, you will help the industry
and your own operation by contributing to
the development of reliable and valuable
information that will be used to
Help develop disease-simulation models
that may be used for emergency preparedness and to compare disease
control strategies and estimate resources
needed in the event of a disease outbreak;
■ Assist university researchers, extension
agents, producer groups, and others to
identify and focus educational efforts on
vital issues related to poultry health and
productivity; and
■ Assist animal-health officials,
policymakers, and industry in making
informed decisions.
■