“The number of pre-proposals in response to the 2013 call created a highly competitive selection process,” said Hongwei Xin, director of the Egg Industry Center and Iowa State University professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and animal science. “The 24 submissions highlighted even more the need for the research endowment the center has established to serve industry and those affected by it.”

Researchers can find submission information at www.eggindustrycenter.org. The deadline for pre-proposals is June 16. After a review of the pre-proposals, finalists will be notified to submit a full proposal for further consideration.

The full proposals will be reviewed by a committee of area-specific experts for scientific merits. The committee submits evaluations to the EIC Board of Directors, which determines the winning proposals.

The board consists of producers, industry and academic leaders from across the United States and Canada. This group annually identifies a list of targeted research topics included in the Request for Proposal and a broader list of research priorities, which are published on the EIC web site.

The EIC research grant programme is intended to focus research on the top concerns in the egg industry while providing a platform to explore other opportunities for the industry’s future.

The Egg Industry Center was established at Iowa State University in 2008. Its mission is to add value to the egg industry by facilitating research and learning for egg producers, processors and consumers through national and international collaboration. To find more information on the center, visit www.eggindustrycenter.org.