An Illinois State Historical Marker recognizing the role the DeKalb Agricultural Association played in improving chicken genetics was dedicated last week at the original site of the research farm on Roberts Lane in DeKalb, now occupied by Oak Crest – DeKalb Area Retirement Center.

The DeKalb Area Agricultural Heritage Association partnered with the Illinois State Historical Society in creating and dedicating the plaque, the sixth in a series placed around DeKalb County in the past two years.

DAAHA president Norm Larson presided at the unveiling ceremony. He outlined the history of this poultry research facility which began in 1944. He said Tom Roberts Sr. and Ray Nelson wanted to learn if the genetic principles of hybridization that DeKalb Ag had successfully applied to corn could also be used in poultry to boost egg production. At that time, the average egg production per hen each year was 150 eggs. Today, due in large measure to the work of DeKalb Poultry Research, egg production per hen averages 310 eggs.

Peter Mumm, managing director of Hendrix-ISA LLC, lauded DeKalb Poultry for its innovative research and being the “founding father of egg-laying chicken genetics in the world today.” His company, based in The Netherlands, acquired DeKalb Poultry in 2000.

Another company, J.J. Warren, had been purchased by DeKalb in 1971 so they could gain access to the brown egg layer that was color sexable. He said that brown eggs dominate the world market today and 60 percent of that market originated from DeKalb Poultry’s research at this site.

Since the start in the 1940s when a family farm averaged 10 chickens in a coop, there now can be 500,000 laying hens in many operations. He added that their new DeKalb Light breed is the cage-free-champion-producing hen in the world, with the capability to produce 500 eggs per year.

Jack Nelson, former president of DeKalb Poultry Research Inc. and son of Ray Nelson, the original senior executive of the poultry, reminisced about first walking down the gravel road, now Oakland Drive, to the farm that is now part of Roberts Lane and Oak Crest, as a young man in 1945 when he began part-time with the Ag, which became a lifetime career for him. Nelson is now retired and a resident of Oak Crest.

Two other speakers, state Rep. Bob Pritchard and DeKalb Mayor John Rey, both had careers with DeKalb Ag. Pritchard recalled his early days on the family farm, when it was his job to go into the henhouse and reach under each chicken to collect the eggs in a basket. Now everything is automated and very high tech. Pritchard added that the innovations provided by DeKalb Poultry research “have changed a lot of lives and provided the world with a greatly improved food source.”

Rey said his history with the Ag goes back to 1964 when he was hired as a computer programmer to work on the statistical side of poultry research. He stayed with the company for more than 37 years.

Representing the Roberts family was Doug Roberts, who said he wasn’t directly involved in the poultry business but quipped that as a young man played on the DeKalb Chix Little League team.

State Historical Society Executive Director Bill Furry also lauded DeKalb Ag and DAAHA for preserving this history and erecting the markers which will tell the story to future generations.

Alice Warren represented her late husband who founded the J.J. Warren Company.

The marker was unveiled by Nelson and Mumm at the conclusion of the program.