This year, Dr. Patricia “Scotti” Hester will retire her post at Purdue University and as Chair of UEP’s Scientific Advsory Committee (SAC) on Animal Welfare. Scotti has contributed her time and expertise to UEP’s Scientific Advisory Committee since its inception in the late 1990s.

SAC members have come and gone over the years with retirements and career changes, but those who have been with UEP from the beginning offer context and counsel that cannot be overstated. For nearly 20 years, they have conducted research, studied the literature and made recommendations to egg farmers for hen welfare. Although some recommendations were hard to embrace, the egg community is better for having heeded their advice.

Although Scotti is not alone in her long-standing support of UEP, her coming retirement reminds us of the SAC contribution to UEP Certified and hen welfare. Starting in the 1990s, and still today, the work of the SAC is the cornerstone of the UEP Certified program.

UEP staff, consultants and egg farmers thank Dr. Hester for her work and dedication over the years. Her leadership has, without a doubt, made a huge impact on the egg community.