Inside the Flock: Blair McCorriston

Commercial excellence is about finding best practices. Across our species, we work closely to understand what’s working well, where there’s room for improvement, and how we can collaborate to establish proven approaches that can be rolled out consistently. That alignment sets us up for success today and into the future.

Additionally, I would say the systems are also pretty important. So as technology evolves and we have new tools available to us, commercial excellence is about how we use these tools to adapt to an ever-changing environment and ensure we can continue to deliver excellence into the future.

The past year was one of the most challenging we’ve seen from a disease standpoint. Beyond highly pathogenic avian influenza, several other disease pressures significantly impacted availability across the industry.

What I’m particularly proud of is the resilience of our supply network. We have a diverse supply chain that includes owned and partnered production hubs. After initial dip, we were able to get back on track faster than originally predicted. Thanks to the strength of our breeders and the close collaboration between our operations, genetics, and supply teams, we were able to maintain continuity of supply despite significant disruptions.

In fact, we were able to expand our network and supply eggs and poults to new customers, in addition to supporting our existing ones. Ultimately, that ensured turkeys remained available across the market and supported the long‑term sustainability of the industry.

This takes me back to when I first joined Hybrid. Our tagline at the time was Strength in Numbers. At the time, I thought it was only about bird performance. What I’ve learned since is that the real strength comes working together as an industry. The greatest opportunities emerge when we work together, align on key initiatives, and push in the same direction to strengthen the entire value chain.

One area with significant potential is how the industry collectively contributes to the development of the turkey of today and tomorrow. There’s often a perception that genetic improvement is controlled solely by genetic companies. While we do manage the genetic levers, choosing the right direction requires consistent input from across the industry. That feedback helps us validate progress, understand how genetics perform in different systems, and adapt as customer and market needs evolve. This is why I’m especially excited about continued investment in R&D and data‑driven decision‑making.

Hybrid is well known for its technical support, and that’s very intentional. We don’t see ourselves as a supplier that simply delivers poults and disappears. We want to understand how our birds perform in different systems and environments and help customers optimize genetic potential.

That support can take many forms including fine-tuning bird management or identifying cost-saving opportunities. It’s a key reason we view ourselves as a true partner, not just a supplier.

Another important investment has been in our transportation fleet. We’ve upgraded existing trailers and invested in new trailers to ensure poults arrive healthy and strong, no matter the conditions. Our goal is always to deliver happy, healthy turkeys that are set up for success from day one.

Strong partnerships are built on collaboration and shared responsibility. One recent example I’m especially proud of is the rollout of the aMPV vaccine.

As an industry, and under the guidance of the National Turkey Federation, stakeholders came together to align on a common goal and secure emergency approval for a live vaccine. That collective effort helped the industry address a significant challenge more effectively.

We also saw strong collaboration from vaccine companies, who worked closely with hatcheries and growers to ensure the application systems were properly set up, quality was monitored, and long‑term success was achievable with a product that was new to many of us. Our European colleagues also played a critical role by sharing their experience and insights, which helped ensure a successful rollout of the pneumo vaccine. We still have more to learn, but this type of partnership and collaboration is key to ongoing success.

Finally, partnerships extend all the way down the value chain. Customer feedback is essential to understand what’s working, how benefits are flowing through their operations, and where adjustments are needed.

It may sound cheesy, but it’s truly the people. Beyond that, it’s the shared mindset across the industry. The turkey industry is made up of people who work hard, support one another, and never give up. No matter the challenge, there’s a collective determination to overcome it. Defeat is simply not an option.

And when we succeed, we celebrate those wins together. That resilience and sense of community are what make this industry so rewarding to be part of.