USA Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association

The World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA) was established in 1912. It is one of the oldest international poultry organizations in existence. A group of 19 individuals from 14 countries decided to hold an international meeting of those involved in the poultry industry and poultry sciences. The First World's Poultry Congress was held at The Hague, Netherlands in 1921. The main objectives of the association are to promote the advancement and exchange of knowledge in all areas of poultry science and poultry industry.

Poultry personnel in the United States have been active participants in both the national and international sectors of poultry science and poultry industry. The United States was one of the founding countries for the WPSA; however, a national branch was not established in the United States until 1965. The Poultry Science Association (PSA) is the primary resource for poultry personnel in the United States. PSA holds scientific meeting and publishes its own journal. Both the WPSA and PSA have similar objectives. Each organization's main objective is the advancement and dissemination of poultry knowledge. In addition, both organizations publish their own journal, recognize the outstanding achievements of their members, and facilitate and encourage the advancement of information.

The USA Branch of the WPSA was formally established on February 12, 1965. Members for the U.S. Council to WPSA decided to form a national branch separate from PSA for three main reasons. The first was to maintain a permanent committee for U.S. participation in World's Poultry Congresses. Second, more and more U.S. poultry personnel were becoming active in the international sectors of poultry science and poultry industry. Finally, a national branch could concern itself with primarily with international matters while the PSA dealt mainly with the national ones. In July 2004, the USA Branch of the WPSA merged with the PSA to become a Standing Committee of the PSA. The USA Branch will continue to operate and conduct business as a branch of the World's Poultry Science Association.

The USA Branch's purposes are not only to fulfill the objectives set out by the WPSA for the advancement and dissemination of poultry knowledge but also to cooperate with the PSA's objectives as well. Some of the main duties of the USA Branch are to maintain a participation committee which organizes the USA Branch's involvement in World Poultry Congresses, nominate candidates for membership on the Council of the WPSA, and to increase membership in the WPSA.

Cliff D. Carpenter was the first president of the USA Branch. Arthur William Jasper was the first vice president and Albert Wade Brant was the first secretary-treasurer for the Branch. Unfortunately, Carpenter met an untimely death during his first year in office and Jasper subsequently succeeded him as President and remained so until 1970. Carpenter had a heart attack while speaking at the Poultry Science Meeting in August 1965 to announce the formation of the USA Branch of WPSA.

The USA Branch actively participates in youth programs. One of the more notable programs is the Cliff D. Carpenter Youth Program Essay Contest, named in honor of their first Branch president. The essay competition was started in 1975 after a successful youth program at the 15th World's Poultry Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1974. The purpose of the essay competition is to provide travel arrangements and funding to World's Poultry Congresses for those youths that produce outstanding essays on a predetermined topic about poultry science. In addition to the Cliff D. Carpenter Youth Program Essay Contest, the USA Branch sponsors a youth dinner hosted by the Pacific Egg and Poultry Association (PePa) and is involved in the junior fact finding conference, the Southeastern Poultry Club, and 4-H programs.

The USA Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA) Records contain materials collected by the branch archivist as well as other officers. The earliest material is from 1937 for the planning of the Seventh World's Poultry Congress and the latest material, a voting announcement and ballot, from 2002. The bulk of the materials pertain to the Branch's participation in the World's Poultry Congresses. Materials within the collection are correspondence, constitution and by-laws, financial materials, membership materials, Board of Director and officer files, meeting materials, publications, congress materials, branch history, awards materials, and information on partnerships with different organizations.

The bulk of the materials relate to the USA Branch's participation in the various congresses (Series VIII). Most of the files were created by the U.S. Participation Committee and its subcommittees for the promotion of the World's Poultry Congresses. Within the materials there are correspondences, committee files, travel information, tour information, exhibit information, clippings, programs, proposals, press releases, photographs, meeting minutes, budget materials, grant materials, award materials, and ephemera. There are planning files from when the USA Branch hosted the 7th World's Poultry Congress in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1939, and the 15th World's Poultry Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1974. One can find recipes presented during programs from the 7th and 15th World's Poultry Congresses.

The USA Branch's governing documents, by-laws and incorporation papers can be found in Series I. Series II contains correspondence from the various officers and committees of the USA Branch. The Committee Records (Series III) contain the meeting minutes of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Annual Membership Meeting along with materials pertaining to the various youth programs sponsored by the USA Branch. Information on awards presented to individual members of the association can be found in Series IV. Series V contains a history of the USA Branch. The photographs (Series VI) depict USA Branch activities from meetings to exhibit displays to scenes from the World's Poultry Congresses. Financial materials can be found in Series VII; however, it should be noted that there are restrictions placed on these materials.

It is important to note that the collection contains few materials prior to the establishment of the national branch in 1965. There are no materials for the 1st- 6th, the 9th, and the 21st World's Poultry Congresses.

Abbreviations are World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA), World's Poultry Congress (WPC), Pacific Egg and Poultry Association (PePa), Poultry Science Association (PSA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Oversize (OS).

Series I. Legal Documents. 1967-1993. 0.5 box.

This series consists of two subseries: Constitution and By-laws and Incorporation Papers. The materials are arranged chronologically within in each subseries.

• Subseries I.A. Constitution and By-laws. 1967-1991.

  This subseries contains the USA Branch's by-laws, correspondence, and the World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA) Constitution. The USA Branch was formed in 1965. Copies of the by-laws are from the 1965 version and ends with the 1991 version.

• Subseries I.B. Incorporation Papers. 1969-1993.

This subseries contains the incorporation papers of the USA Branch. The USA Branch was incorporated in the state of Illinois. Correspondence is included.

Series II. Correspondence. 1937-2002. 4.5 boxes.

This series consists of 10 subseries: Council (prior to USA Branch), Board of Directors, Executive Committee, President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, General, Poultry Science Association and WPSA Joint Committee, USA and Canadian Branch Speakers at Poultry Science Meetings, and Membership. The materials are arranged chronologically within each subseries.

• Subseries II.A. Council (prior to USA Branch). 1937-1969.

This subseries contains correspondence relating to the activities of the USA Council before a national branch was formed in 1965. Correspondence includes both outgoing and incoming letters. Subject matters include early World's Poultry Congresses, meetings of the USA Council, and the formation of a USA Branch.

• Subseries II.B. Board of Directors. 1948-1994.

  This subseries contains correspondence, both outgoing and incoming, memoranda, voting ballots, officer contact information, and term information. The Board of Directors manages the corporate affairs of the USA Branch. It consists of ten elected directors. The term of the office is four years. The Board of Directors nominates members of the board to serve on the Council of the WPSA.

• Subseries II.C. Executive Committee. 1965, 1968.

  This subseries contains correspondence to and from the executive committee. The executive committee is comprised of the elected officers of the USA Branch. The committee's duties are to review the USA Branch's business between Board of Directors meetings and deal with the matters as necessary.

• Subseries II.D. President. 1969-1991.

This subseries contains outgoing and incoming correspondence from the office of the president. The subject matter varies from business of the USA Branch and WPSA, appointments to committee and/or positions, World's Poultry Congresses, and the Rice Memorial Library. Also included are remarks by Arthur William Jasper from May 25, 1976 and June 15, 1977.

• Subseries II.E. Vice President. 1971-1978.

This subseries contains outgoing and incoming correspondence from the office of the vice president. The subject matter varies from business of the USA Branch and WPSA, meetings, World's Poultry Congresses, and endorsement requests.

• Subseries II.F. Secretary-Treasurer. 1968-1998.

This subseries contains outgoing and incoming correspondence from the office of the secretary-treasurer. The majority of correspondence is composed of outgoing copies. The subject matter varies from business of the USA Branch and WPSA, meetings, World's Poultry Congresses, acknowledgment of payments and invoices, information requests, and membership.

• Subseries II.G. General. 1963-2002.

This subseries contains correspondence related to the general business of the USA Branch and its members. Materials included correspondence pertaining to the World's Poultry Science Journal, deaths of officers and members, items from the Australian Branch, WPSA pins, and information regarding WPSA President Jose A. Castello's visit to the United States.

• Subseries II.H. Poultry Science Association (PSA) and WPSA Joint Committee. 1968-1970.

This subseries contains correspondence pertaining to the Poultry Science Association (PSA) and WPSA Joint Committee. Subject matter varies from holding joint meetings, discussing scientific programs, and committee membership.

• Subseries II.I. USA and Canadian Branch Speakers at Poultry Science Meetings. 1971-1991.

This subseries contains correspondence pertaining to the business of sponsoring speakers for poultry science meetings. Materials include correspondence pertaining to the travel expenses of the speakers, nomination of speakers, and invitations to speakers. There is also a copy of Professor Jose Castello's address to the USA Branch meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1971.

• Subseries II.J. Membership. 1957-1992.

This subseries contains correspondence regarding the membership of the USA Branch. The subject matter includes requests for membership, acknowledgements of dues payments, membership lists, dues information, reports, membership recruitment, affiliate members, correspondence to delinquent members, and correspondence of the membership committee.

Series III. Committee Records. 1965-1994. 2 boxes.

This series consists of four subseries: Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, Annual Membership Meeting Minutes and Youth Programs. The materials are arranged chronologically within each subseries.

• Subseries III.A. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes. 1969-1994.

This subseries contains the meeting minutes of the Board of Directors for the years 1969-1994. Also includes agendas, resolutions, correspondence, a list of meeting dates and locations, and a listing of board members. The Board of Directors manages the corporate affairs of the USA Branch. It consists of ten elected directors. The term of the office is four years. Board of Directors nominates members of the Board to serve on the Council of the WPSA.

• Subseries III.B. Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. 1965-1969.

This subseries contains the meeting minutes of the executive committee from the years 1965-1969. The executive committee is comprised of the elected officers of the USA Branch. The committee's duties are to review the USA Branch's business between Board of Directors meetings and to deal with the matters as necessary.

• Subseries III.C. Annual Membership Meeting Minutes. 1967-1990.

This subseries contains the meeting minutes from the annual membership meeting for the years 1967-1990. Materials include agendas and correspondence.

• Subseries III.D. Youth Programs. 1974-1995.

This subseries contains materials relating to the USA Branch involvement in various youth programs: Cliff D. Carpenter Youth Program Essay Contest, PePa Youth Dinner Program, Southeastern College Youth Program, Junior Fact Finding Conferences and National 4-H programs. Materials include correspondence, essay guidelines and submitted materials, remarks, and clippings.

Series IV. Awards. 1965-1991. 3 folders.

This series consists of three subseries: International Hall of Fame, Macdougall Award, and USA Branch Honorary Life Members and Other Awards. The materials are arranged chronologically within each subseries.

• Subseries IV.A. International Poultry Hall of Fame. 1990-1991.

WPSA recognizes those individuals who have made substantial contributions in the international sector of the world-wide poultry industry by inducting them into the International Poultry Hall of Fame. Included in this subseries are nomination guidelines, correspondence, and nominations of members.

• Subseries IV.B. Macdougall Award. 1966, 1971-1973.

WPSA recognizes any member for his or her meritorious service by giving the Macdougall Award. This subseries includes materials for the nomination and subsequent recognition of R. George Jaap as a Macdougall Award recipient in 1974. Also included is copy of a 1966 correspondence congratulating Gustave F. Heuser on receiving the award.

• Subseries IV.C. USA Branch Honorary Life Members and Other Awards. 1965-1966.

This subseries consists of correspondence regarding the nominations of John Douglas (J.D.) Sykes and Joseph Holmes Martin for honorary life membership. Materials include biographical information for each.

Series V. History of the USA Branch of WPSA. 1975-1994. 2 folders.

This series consists of a history of the USA Branch titled "Association History: The United States of American Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association" written by William E. Shaklee, Branch Historian and Archivist. Included are copies of the history and correspondence relating to the writing of the history.

Series VI. Photographs. 1939-1990. 1.25 boxes.

This series consists of two subseries: General and World's Poultry Congresses. Some of the photographs are labeled. The photographs are arranged chronologically within each subseries.

• Subseries VI.A. General. 1947-1978.

These photographs depict USA Branch meetings, a display exhibit, and a member's personnel photograph. The majority of the photographs are group photographs.

• Subseries VI.B. World's Poultry Congresses. 1939-1990.

These photographs depict scenes from the various World's Poultry Congresses. There are photographs of exhibits, sessions, attendees, meetings, and promotion of World's Poultry Congresses.

Series VII. Finances. 1966-1993. 3 boxes.

This series consists of the financial records of the USA Branch. There is restricted access to these materials due to the sensitive nature of some of the materials.

Series VIII. Materials Relating to USA Branch Participation at World's Poultry Congresses. 1935-1995. 23.5 boxes.

This series is the largest of the collection. The series spans from 1935-1995. The materials are mainly composed of the U.S. Participation Committee's effort to promote member participation at the World's Poultry Congresses. Materials include correspondence relating to travel grants, scientific papers, travel and tours, youth programs, publications, congress information, exhibits, press releases, USA Branch Councilors, and final reports of the Participation Committee. There are materials relating to the two congresses the USA Branch hosted, the 7th World's Poultry Congress in Cleveland, Ohio, 1939 and the 15th World's Poultry Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1974. The materials are arranged chronologically by the year the congress was held.

The following sources were used to write the organizational history:

World's Poultry Science Association Records, 1912-present. Special Collections, National Agricultural Library.

USA Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association Records, 1937-1998. Special Collections, National Agricultural Library.

Jasper, A. William. "The World's Poultry Science Association." World's Poultry Science Journal 34, no. 1 (February 1978): 9-21.

Shaklee, William E. "Association History: The United States of America Branch of The World's Poultry Science Association." World's Poultry Science Journal 37, no. 2 (June 1981): 111-118.

World's Poultry Science Association. "WPSA." Accessed June 6, 2005 from http://www.wpsa.com/.

--_____. "News 2004." Accessed June 6, 2005 from http://www.wpsa.com/.

Poultry Science Association. "October 2004 Newsletter." Accessed June 6, 2005 from https://poultryscience.org/.

--_____. "Constitution." Accessed June 6, 2005 from https://poultryscience.org/.

Click here to download the appendices to the collection. (PDF|12KB)

• Appendix A: Related Collections
• Appendix B: Who's Who in the USA Branch of WPSA