Steve Ricke
Professor and Director- Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery Program (MSABD)
Research
1933 Observatory Dr
2124 Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery Building
Madison, Wi 53706

Steve Ricke was raised on a dairy farm in south central Illinois. He received his B.S. and M.S. (ruminant nutrition) from the University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana. and Ph.D. (double major-Bacteriology and Animal Science) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Ricke was a USDA-ARS postdoctorate in the Microbiology Department at North Carolina State University where he worked on the genetics of nitrogen fixation by the bacterium Azotobacter. In 1992 he joined Texas A&M University as an Assistant Professor in the Poultry Science Department and was a faculty member in the nutrition and Food Science and Technology interdisciplinary programs. In 2005, he became the first holder of the new Donald “Buddy” Wray Endowed Chair in Food Safety and Director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Arkansas (UA) and faculty member of the Dept. of Food Science and Cellular and Molecular Graduate program until 2020. In October 2020 Dr. Ricke became of the Director of the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Program in the Animal and Dairy Sciences Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received the Poultry Sci. Association (PSA) Research Award in 1999, American Egg Board award in 2006, the PSA Evonik Award for Achievement in Poultry Science in 2019 and the National Chicken Council Broiler Research Award in 2020. He was honored as a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty Fellow in 2002 and the UA Division of Agriculture – John White Outstanding Research Award in 2012. He served as co-founder and former President of the Arkansas Association of Food Protection (AAFP). He was named an AAFP Fellow in 2015, a PSA Fellow in 2017, an International for Food Protection Fellow in 2019 and a University of Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Distinguished Alumni in 2019. He served as an American Society for Microbiology Distinguished Lecturer from 2015 to 2017. Dr. Ricke’s foodborne research projects have emphasized studies on the growth, survival and pathogenesis of foodborne pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and their interactions with the GIT microbiota. He is also exploring the interaction between different prebiotics, the GIT microbiota and host responses.
Selected Peer Reviewed Articles
Shariat, N.W., K.M. Feye, A.K. Richards, B. Booher, Z. Flores, P.M. Rubinelli, E.G. Olson, and S.C. Ricke. 2021. Incidence of Salmonella serovars isolated from commercial animal feed mills in the United States and serovar identification using CRISPR analysis. J. Appl. Microbiol. 130: 2141-2146. doi:10.1111/jam.14933.
Balta, I., L. Stef, I. Pet, P. Ward, T. Callaway, S.C. Ricke, O. Gundogdu, and N. Corcionivoschi. 2020. Antiviral activity of a novel mixture of natural antimicrobials, in vitro, and in a chicken infection model in vivo. Sci. Repts. 10:16631. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73916-1.
Feye, K., C.L. Swaggerty, M.H. Kogut, S.C. Ricke, A. Piva, and E. Grilli. 2020. The biological effects of microencapsulated organic acids and botanicals induces tissue-specific and dose-dependent changes to the Gallus gallus BMC Microbiol. 20:332. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-020-02001-4.
Ricke, S.C., I. Lee, S.A. Kim, S.H. Park, and Z. Shi, 2020. Prebiotics and the poultry gastrointestinal tract microbiome. Poultry Sci. 99: 670-677.
Feye, K.M., R. Thompson, M.J. Rothrock, M.H. Kogut, and S.C. Ricke. 2020. Poultry processing and the application of microbiome mapping. Poultry Sci. 99: 678-688.
Ricke, S.C. 2018. Impact of prebiotics on poultry production and food safety. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. 91: 151-159
Ricke, S.C., A. Kim, and S. H. Park. 2018. Molecular-based identification and detection of Salmonella in food production systems: Current perspectives. J. Appl. Microbiol. 125: 313-327.
Kim, S.A., S.H. Park, S.I. Lee, C.M. Owens, and C. Ricke. 2017. Assessment of chicken carcass microbiome responses during processing in the presence of commercial antimicrobials using a next generation sequencing approach. Scientific Repts. 7:43354. doi: 10.1038/srep43354.
Park, S.H., S.I. Lee, S.A. Kim, K. Christensen, and C. Ricke. 2017. Comparison of antibiotic supplementation versus a yeast-based prebiotic on the cecal microbiome of commercial broilers. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0182805. https://doi.org/10.1371/ journal.pone.0182805.
Ricke, S.C. Insights and challenges of Salmonella infections in laying hens. Current Opinions in Food Science 18: 43-49.
Park, S.H., S.A. Kim, P.M. Rubinelli, M. Roto,and S.C. Ricke. 2017. Microbial compositional changes in broiler chicken cecal contents from birds challenged with different Salmonella vaccine candidate strains. Vaccine 35: 3204-3208.
Rubinelli, P.M., S.A. Kim, S.H. Park, S.M. Roto*, N.J. Nealon, E.P. Ryan, and S.C. Ricke. 2017. Differential effects of rice bran cultivars to limit Salmonella Typhimurium in chicken cecal in vitro incubations and impact on the cecal microbiome and metabolome. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0185002. org/10.137/journal.pone0185002.
Kwon, Y.M., S.C. Ricke, and R.K. Mandal. 2016. Transposon sequencing: Methods and expanding applications. Appl. Micro. Biotechnol. 100: 31–43.
Saengkerdsub, S. and C. Ricke.. 2014. Ecology and characteristics of methanogenic archaea in animals and humans. Crit. Revs. Microbiol. 40: 97–116.
Foley, S.L., T.J. Johnson, S.C. Ricke, R. Nayakand J. Danzeisen. 2013. Salmonella pathogenicity and host adaptation in chicken-associated serovars. Mol. Biol. Revs. 77: 582-607.
Selected Book Chapters
M. Feye, A. E. Powell, B. Booher, Z. Flores, P.M. Rubinelli, L.H. Calderwood, K.E. Richardson, P.A. Davis, R. Sellers, and S.C. Ricke. 2020. Isolation of Salmonella spp. from animal feed. Heide Schatten (Ed.) Salmonella Methods and Protocols (third edition) – Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana Press, Springer Science+Business Media LLC. pp. 7-16.
Rackerby, B., S.I. Lee, I. Moppert, S.C. Ricke, K.C. Jeong, and S.H. Park. 2019. Chapter 2. Application of whole genome sequencing to transposon mutants of Salmonella pp. 17- 27. In: S.C. Ricke, S.H. Park, M.L. Davis. (Eds.) Microbial Transposon Mutagenesis: Methods and Applications. Springer Science, New York, NY.
Yang, Y., R. Chandrashekar, S.C. Ricke, and Y.M. Kwon. 2019. Chapter 13. Construction of DNA- barcode-tagged Salmonella pp. 141 – 150. In: S.C. Ricke, S.H. Park, M.L. Davis. (Eds.) Microbial Transposon Mutagenesis: Methods and Applications. Springer Science, New York, NY.
Lee, S.I., S.A. Kim, S.H. Park, and C. Ricke. 2019. Molecular and new generation techniques for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens and characterization of microbial communities in poultry meat. pp. 235-260, In: Venkitanarayanan, K., S. Thakur, and S.C. Ricke (Eds.) Food Safety in Poultry Meat Production Springer Science, New York, NY.
Feye, K.M. and C. Ricke. 2019. Chapter 18. Establishment of a standardized 16S rDNA library preparation to enable analysis of microbiome in poultry processing using Illumina MiSeq platform. pp. 213-227. In: Arnaud Bridier (Ed.) Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens: Methods and Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology. Springer Science, New York, NY.
Ricke, S.C., M. Dawoud, S. A. Kim, S.H. Park, and Y.M. Kwon 2018 Chapter 1. Salmonella cold stress response: Mechanisms and occurrence in foods. In: G.M. Gadd and S. Sariaslani (Eds.) Advances in Applied Microbiology 104: 1-38.
Ricke, S.C., Hacker, K. Yearkey, Z. Shi, S.H. Park, and C. Rainwater. 2017. Chap. 19. Unravelling food production microbiomes: Concepts and future directions. In: S.C. Ricke, G.G. Atungulu, S.H. Park, and C.E. Rainwater (Eds.) Food and Feed Safety Systems and Analysis. Elsevier Inc., San Diego, CA pp. 347-374.
Zhuang, X., C. Zhao, K. Liu, Rubinelli, S.C. Ricke, and G.G. Atungulu. 2017. Chapter 10. Cereal grain fractions as potential sources of prebiotics: Current status, opportunities, and potential applications. In: S.C. Ricke, G.G. Atungulu, S.H. Park, and C.E. Rainwater (Eds.) Food and Feed Safety Systems and Analysis. Elsevier Inc., San Diego, CA pp. 173-191.
Ricke, S.C. 2016. Chapter 16. Gastrointestinal ecology of Salmonella Enteritidis in laying hens and intervention by prebiotic and non-digestible carbohydrate dietary supplementation. In S.C. Ricke and R.K. Gast (Eds.). Producing Safe Eggs-The Microbial Ecology of Salmonella. Elsevier, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. 323-345.
Ricke, S.C.,M. Dawoud, and Y.M. Kwon. 2015. Chapter 4. Application of molecular methods for traceability of foodborne pathogens in food safety systems. In: S.C. Ricke, J.R. Donaldson, and C.A. Phillips (Eds.) Food Safety: Emerging Issues, Technologies and Systems. Elsevier, Oxford, UK, pp. 37-63.
Ricke, S.C. and R.K. Gast. 2014. Salmonella/Salmonella In Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology- 2nd Edition, Vol. 3, pp. 343-348. Carl Batt and Mary Lou Tortello (Eds.), Elsevier, Ltd. Oxford, UK.
Ricke, S.C.,-K. Koo, S. Foley, and R. Nayak.2013. Chapter 7. Salmonella. In Guide to Foodborne Pathogens- 2nd Edition, R. Labbé and S. García (Eds.), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, pp. 112-137.
Ricke, S.C.,R. Jones, and R.K. Gast. 2013. Chapter 46. Eggs and egg products. In: Stephanie Doores, Yvonne Salfinger, and Mary Lou Tortorello (Eds.), Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examinations of Foods, 5th Edition. American Public Health Association, Washington, D.C. pp. 1-11.
Sofos, J.N., G. Flick, G.-J. Nychas, C.A. O’Bryan, S.C. Ricke, and P.G. Crandall. Chapter 6. Meat, Poultry, and Seafood. In: M. P. Doyle, and R.L. Buchanan (Eds.), Food Microbiology-Fundamentals and Frontiers. American Society for Microbiology,4th Edition, Washington, D.C. pp. 111-167.
Ricke, S.C., O.K. Koo and J.T. Keeton. 2013. Chapter 34. Fermented meat, poultry, and fish products. In: M. P. Doyle, and R.L. Buchanan (Eds.), Food Microbiology-Fundamentals and Frontiers. American Society for Microbiology,4th Edition, Washington, D.C. pp. 857-880.
Selected Conference Proceedings: Invited Talks
Steve Ricke: “Metabolism of the Microbiome” Symposium – The Future of the Poultry Gut-Health Nexus: Improving Food Safety. International Association for Food Protection Annual Virtual Meeting, Online, Oct. 26-28, 2020.
Steve Ricke: “Delivery of Bioinformatics in Poultry Processing” Poultry Science Annual Virtual Meeting, Online, July 20, 2020.
Steve Ricke: “Optimizing Feed Additives in Poultry Using Microbiome Analyses”, Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals, Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, Louis, MO, Nov. 5, 2019.
Steve Ricke: “Campylobacter Interventions and the Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiome”, Campylobacter, Helicobacter, and Related Organisms Conference- 2019, ICC Belfast, 2 Lanyon Place, Belfast, UK. 11, 2019.
Steve Ricke: “What is an Ideal Feed Additive for Broilers and How Can We Assess This? Keynote Presentation, 6th International Conference on Poultry Intestinal Health, Auditorium Del Massino Via Massimiliano Massino, 1 00144, Rome, Italy, 5, 2019.
Steve Ricke: “Application of Microbiome Sequencing in Food Processing Environments”, 16th Annual Conference of the Midsouth Computational Biology & Bioinformatics Society, McBios Informatics for Precision Medicine, UAB Informatics Institute. Hilton Birmingham at University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, 29, 2019.
Steve Ricke: “Review of Existing In – Feed Solutions to Reduce Antibiotic Dependence on Farm”, Symposium on Interventions to Reduce Antibiotic Resistance and Antibiotic Use in Animal Production, International Association or Food Protection – European Symposium on Food Safety, Stockholm, Sweden, Apr. 26, 2018.
Steve Ricke: “Prebiotics and the Avian Microbiome – Research Strategies and Applications”, Dept. of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – Merelbeke, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, Mar. 7, 2018.
Steve Ricke: “Probiotics in Animal Production – Historical and Current Perspectives”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA, Feb. 2, 2018.
Steve Ricke: “Salmonella Vaccines and the Microbiome in Poultry – A New Food Safety Paradigm”, The Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety, The K Hotel, Seoul, South Korea, 10, 2017.
Steve Ricke: “Foodborne Salmonella in Poultry and Food Production: Research Strategies”, William C. Frazier Lecture, Food Research Institute – Spring Meeting, Pyle Center – University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, May 17, 2017.
Steve Ricke: “Stacking the Deck in the Gut – Current Status and Future Prospects of Prebiotics”, 59th Annual Meeting Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists – American Society for Microbiology – Local Branch, Industrial Microbiology – From the Lab Bench to the Production Line and Beyond, Verdanza Hotel, 8020 Tartak Street, Isla Verde Carolina, Puerto Rico, May 27, 2016.
Steve Ricke: “Developing Research Strategies for Controlling Salmonella in Food Production Systems”, Keynote Lecture –American Society for Microbiology Washington D.C. Branch and Capitol Area Food Protection Joint Fall Meeting, USDA National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Avenue, Baltimore, MD, Nov. 19, 2015.
Steve Ricke: “Salmonella – Current Research and New Directions”, Hot Topics in Food Microbiology Conference, Campden BRI, Chipping Campden Glos, UK, Oct. 28, 2014.
Steve Ricke: “Application of Genomics and Metabolite Analysis to Assess Poultry Gastrointestinal Ecology Response to Prebiotics”, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, East Campus, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Quinghua Donglu, Hai Dian District, Beijing, P.R. China, Nov. 14, 2013.
Selected Popular Press Articles
Jones, F.T. and S.C. Ricke. Researchers propose tentative HACCP plan for feed manufacturers. Feedstuffs 66 (18): 32, 36-38, 40- 42.
Birkhold, K.G. Maciorowski and S.C. Ricke. Texas survey shows consumers remain wary of irradiation. Poultry & Egg Marketing Nov./Dec. 22-23.
Ricke, S.C. 2001. Alternatives to antibiotics. 58-62, In 26th Annual Poultry Service Industry Workshop, The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada.
Ricke, S.C. 2001. The state of maturity of the probiotics industry. 64-67, In 26th Annual Poultry Service Industry Workshop, The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada.
Ricke, S.C. 2005. Assessing availability: Non-invasive evaluation of nutrient bioavailability, PetFood Industry 47: 6, 8, and 10.
Park, S.H., C. Ricke and H.-Y. Kim. 2012. Insight into foodborne Salmonella. Research Collection of Institute of Life Sciences & Resources Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea, 31: 10-14.
Park, S.H., C. Ricke and H.-Y. Kim. 2012. Bacteriophage: Alternatives for control of foodborne pathogens. Research Collection of Institute of Life Sciences & Resources Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea, 31: 15-19.
Alali, W., P. Crandall, K. Gibson, D. Jaroni, G. Kostandini, S. Ricke, Trimble, S. Angioloni, and M. L. Davis. 2012. From food safety to economics: Processing your chickens for market. APPPA Grit Nov/Dec Issue 72: 6-8, 10.
Ricke, S.C. Salmonella control from farm to fork. Food Science and Technology. 28: 27-29.
Baker, C.A., and C. Ricke. 2015. Biofilms, processing equipment, and efficacy of sanitization. Food Safety & Quality 22: 28-29.
Baker, C.A., S. H. Park, and C. Ricke. 2015. Salmonella poultry detection methods, advances. WATT Poultry USA 16: 30-32, 34-35.
Ricke, S.C. The future of livestock nutrition and alternatives to antibiotics. 77th Minnesota Nutrition Conference Proceedings, pp. 37-45.
Selected Posters
Bodie, A., P. Rubinelli, A. Englishbey, S. Forgey, T. Stephens, and S. Ricke. 2020. Comparison of media for the detection of Campylobacter jejuni using a commercial RT-PCR system. Poultry Science Association Annual Virtual Meeting, Online, July 20th – 22nd.
Dittoe, D.K., K. M. Feye, and S. Ricke. 2020. Salmonella and Campylobacter influence the microbiota response of skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs treated with different antimicrobials. Poultry Science Association Annual Virtual Meeting, Online, July 20th – 22nd.
Wythe, L.A., K.M. Feye, D.K. Dittoe, and S. Ricke. 2020.The effects of yeast fermentate prebiotic feed additive on the lactic acid producing bacteria in an in vitro microaerophilic cecal culture model. Poultry Science Association Annual Virtual Meeting, Online, July 20th – 22nd.
Clark, K.M., J.P. Holt, L.E. Anderson, D.K. Dittoe, and S.C. Ricke. 2020. Characterizing sow microbiome and drinking water quality at different production locations. Animal Science Association Annual Virtual Meeting, Online, July 19th – 23rd.
Wages, J.A., K.M. Feye, B.J. Bench, and S.C. Ricke. Next generation sequencing of subsamples used for traditional microbiological analysis of Campylobacter in broiler carcass rinsates collected with neutralizing buffered peptone water or buffered peptone water. Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Québec, Canada, July 15th – 18th.
Feye, K.M., P.M. Rubinelli, H.O. Pavlidis, J.A. Byrd, W.E. Chaney, D.R. McIntyre, and S.C. Ricke. 2019. Changes to the microbiome may mediate the anti-Salmonella effects demonstrated by XPCTM, International Poultry Scientific Forum, Atlanta, GA, Feb. 11-2th.
Feye, K.M., L. R. Meyer, H. Lekkala, D.R. Thompson and S.C. Ricke. 2018. Assessment of computer science and cybersecurity skills of undergraduate students interested in food safety. Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, July 22nd – 26th.
Micciche, A.C., L.M., Meyer, and S. C. Ricke. 2018. 16S rDNA-based sequencing as a rapid method to identify bacteria cultivated from nonselective aerobic plate bacterial colonies isolated from commercial poultry feed. Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, July 22nd – 26th.
Kim,A. S.H. Park, A.D. Wolfenden, B.M. Hargis, H.O. Pavlidis, D.R. McIntrye, and S.C. Ricke. 2017. Characterization of mixed bacterial populations in chicken ceca recovered from colonies on Campylobacter selective commercial media using 16S rRNA next generation sequencing. Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, July 16th -20th.
Park, S.H., S.A. Kim, P. Rubinelli, C.A. Baker, and S.C. Ricke. 2017. Effect of Salmonella vaccine strains on broiler chicken cecal microbiota. International Assoc. Food Prot. Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL July, 9-12.
Kim, S.A., S.H. Park, and S.C. Ricke. 2016. Development of a rapid method to quantify Salmonella Typhimurium using a combination of MPN and qPCR with a shortened enrichment time. International Assoc. Food Prot. Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, July 31st– Aug. 3rd.
Kim, S.A., S.H. Park, S.I. Lee, and S.C. Ricke. 2016. Assessment of different microbial populations on chicken carcasses at various first processing steps using a next generation sequencing approach. Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, July 11th -14th.
Park, S.H., S.I. Lee, and S.C. Ricke. 2016. In-depth analysis of broiler chicken gut microbiome responses over time fed a commercial yeast-based prebiotic. Soc. Microbiol. General Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, June 16-20.
Wages, J., J. Handley, S. H. Park, and S.C. Ricke. 2016. Comparison of indicator microbial populations occurring during multiple stages of commercial poultry carcass processing by conventional plating method and next generation sequencing. International Poultry Scientific Forum, Atlanta, GA, Jan. 26-27th.
Baker, C.A., S.H. Park, and S.C. Ricke. 2015. Quantification and comparison of Salmonella Typhimurium and Heidelberg biofilm formation on plastic coupons. International Assoc. of Food Protection Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
Selected Other Publications: Edited Books
Ricke, S.C. and F.T. Jones (Eds), 2010. Perspectives on Food Safety Issues of Food Animal Derived Foods, University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, AR, 362 pp.
Kwon, Y.M. and S.C. Ricke (Eds), 2011. High-Throughput Next Generation Sequencing: Methods and Applications. Methods in Molecular Microbiology 733 – Springer Protocols, Humana Press, New York, NY 308 pp.
Pandey, A., C. Larroche, S.C. Ricke, C.-G. Dussap, and E. Gnansounou (Eds.). Biofuels: Alternative Feedstocks and Conversion Processes, First Edition. Academic Press, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 629 pp.
Ricke, S.C., E.J. Van Loo, M.G. Johnson and C.A. O’Bryan (Eds.), 2012. Organic Meat Production and Processing. Wiley Scientific/IFT, New York, NY 444 pp.
Callaway, T.R. and S.C. Ricke (Eds.), 2012. Direct Fed Microbials/Prebiotics for Animals: Science and Mechanisms of Action, Springer Science, New York, NY, 206 pp.
Ricke, S.C., J.R. Donaldson, and C.A. Phillips (Eds.) 2015. Food Safety: Emerging Issues, Technologies and Systems. Academic Press, Elsevier, Inc., Oxford, UK, 449 pp.
Ricke, S.C. and R.K. Gast (Eds.). 2016. Producing Safe Eggs-The Microbial Ecology of Salmonella. Elsevier, Inc., San Diego, CA. 436 pp.
Ricke, S.C. (Ed.) 2017. Achieving Sustainable Production of Poultry Meat- Volume 1 Safety, Quality and Sustainability. Burleigh Dodd Publishing, Cambridge, UK. 480 pp.
Ricke, S.C., G.G. Atungulu, H. Park, and C.E. Rainwater (Eds.) 2017. Food and Feed Safety Systems and Analysis. Elsevier Inc., San Diego, CA 406 pp.
Venkitanarayanan, K., S. Thakur, and S.C. Ricke (Eds.) 2019. Food Safety in Poultry Meat Production, Springer Science, New York, NY. 301 pp.
Pandey, A., C. Larroche, C.-G. Dussap, E. Gnansounou, S.K. Khanal, and S. Ricke. (Eds.) 2019. Biofuels: Alternative Feedstocks and Conversion Processes for the Production of Liquid and Gaseous Biofuels. Second Edition. Academic Press, Elsevier, London, UK. 867 pp.
Ricke, S.C., S.H. Park, and M.L. Davis. (Eds.) Microbial Transposon Mutagenesis: Protocols and Applications. Methods and Applications. Humana Press. Springer Science, New York, NY 183 pp.
Ricke, S.C. (Ed.) 2020. Improving Gut Health in Poultry. Burleigh Dodd Publishing, Cambridge, UK. 522 pp.
Editor-in-Chief for Bioresource Technology, 2003-2010.
Editor-Bioresource Technology, 1996-2002.
Editor–Special issue in Anaerobe Volume 15, Number 1-2 Feb./Apr., 2009: Foodborne and Gastrointestinal Pathogen Ecology and Control in the Intestinal Tract.
Section Editor-Poultry Science: Processing, Products, and Food Safety (2011-2016).
Section Editor, Symposium: Current and Future Prospects for Induced Molting in Layer Hens, Poultry Science, 2002 Annual Meeting.
Section Editor, Symposium: Current applications, future prospects, and alternatives for the use of antimicrobials in poultry production, Poultry Science, 2002 Annual Meeting.
Associate Editor, Poultry Science-Environment and Health Section, 2000-2002.
Editorial board, Journal of Applied Poultry Research, 1998-2008.
Editorial board, Bioresource Technology, 1995
Editorial board, Journal of Food Protection, 1996-2001.
Editorial board, Journal of Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology, 1998-2009.
Editorial board, Journal of Food Safety, 2010-2018.
Appointed Faculty Senator, Texas A&M University, 1998.
Elected Faculty Senator, Texas A&M University, 1998-2001.
FDA Science Board-advisory subcommittee for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition: Subchairman-Antimicrobial Resistance and Tolerance Panel, 1999.
Poultry Science Program Committee Extension/Instruction Section Chair, 2004 Annual Meeting.
Co-chair, Current and Future Prospects for Natural and Organic Poultry, Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, July 20, 2008.
Co-chair, Planning Committee for American Dairy Science Association 16th DISCOVER Conference on Direct Fed Microbials/Prebiotics for Animals, 2009
Member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies Committee on Review of Use of Process Indicators in FSIS Public Health Risk-Based Inspection System, 2008-2009.
Member of the National Research Council of the National Academies Standing Committee on Use of Public Health Data in FSIS Food Safety Programs, 2008-2010.
Member of the United Egg Producers Food Safety Scientific Advisory Council, 2010-Present.
Co-Founder and President-Elect of newly created Arkansas Association for Food Protection (AAFP) – Branch affiliate of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), 2009-2010.
President – AAFP, 2010-2011.
Academic Director – AAFP, 2012-2020.
Chairman – Long Ranging Planning Committee for Poultry Science Association Publications, 2016-2018.