Tyson Foods Expert to Discuss Global Poultry Outlook in Friday Seminar

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Jianlin Si

The Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering will host an expert from Tyson Foods Friday to discuss the future of poultry production and consumption around the world.

Jianlin Si, director of sales in the export division of poultry at Tyson Foods Inc., will speak at 10:45 a.m. this Friday, Feb. 9, in White Engineering Hall room 219.

Si earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the Animal Science Department of the China Agricultural University. Immediately after graduation, he was hired as an assistant professor and continued his research on livestock engineering and environmental control for farming animals. In 1997, he joined the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas to pursue his doctorate with a focus on broiler nutrition and environment impact.

Si began working for the international division of Tyson Foods as a sales representative after his graduation from the University of Arkansas in 2000. He was promoted to director of sales in 2007, and is now responsible for commodity chicken sales to Asia, as well as oversight of several product groups in world markets.

Lalit Verma, head of the Biological and Agricultural Engineering department encouraged students, staff and faculty to attend.

"The poultry industry is vitally important to our state and the university," he said. "Engineering for sustainable food production systems is in the core mission of our departmental programs of research, education and extension. The poultry industry accounts for a sizeable portion of our state's economy. Having a speaker with the experience of Dr. Si working with an international animal protein company is an enriching experience for our students, faculty and staff."