1. Lessons Learned What not to do!

2. What Mission? Make it Know it Stick to it GSTR’s mission is preservation –Everyone gets mixed turkey flocks, even though some varieties don’t grow as quickly –I.E. “We’re not abandoning the Black turkeys”

3. He said…She said… Communicate, communicate, communicate Respect each other Take notes Record meetings Keep records

4. Build it, they’ll come Not! Have a market Have purchase contracts Know inventory Make a plan to move all product –Don’t have unsold birds sitting in locker Pace growth

5. Mishandling Birds Avoid losses at the end of the growing season caused by bruising and injury. –Learn to catch & load carefully –Timing of catching –Purchase proper transport boxes –Plant workers know how to catch & shackle –Stand at plant – watch and speak up

6. Poor Quality Quality makes or breaks a reputation Quality affects everyone Quality is affected by: –Husbandry –Nutrition –Genetics No turkey 28#. These are cut up and deboned.

7. Plan for losses 10% damage or loss in processing is normal

8. Learn the Language Know your cuts –Whole bird –California Cut –Breast –Deboned & skinned Learn to convert your live birds into cuts and pounds

9. Too Little…Too Much Plan for loss –10% during grow-out –10% during processing Plan for overage –Know what you’ll do if loss is less than predicted

10. Plant Mistakes Lawyer vs. Lesson Learned – you choose –e.g. Refrigerate for 7 days, then freeze. Birds never frozen so they are ruined. –e.g. Lost product – where’d it go? Negotiate at top levels with processor. However… –They have no liability for damaged birds or product

11. Not My Job Know who’s responsible for what Sit down with everyone who will handle the birds –Processing –Trucking –Storage –Packaging Get agreements in writing

12. Risk Single Source Risk shared –Frank took all the losses in first years, paying farmers for all turkeys regardless of quality, then incurring losses for small & bruised birds. Established quality control Distribute flocks of mixed varieties Flocks identified with farmer at processor –Paid according to graded dressed bird Farmers invested in all aspects of company’s success

13. Successes We Did It!

14. Standard Turkey is Best The Standard turkeys have lived up to their reputation. GSTR has the very best Standard turkeys in the country

15. Preservation is Possible Saving the standard breeds of poultry for what they were meant to be and do.