A little history: The first isolation of Salmonella Hadar in the US was from raw Jennie-O turkey. It was isolated during a 1979-80 survey of Salmonella-free and regular turkeys. The Salmonella-free turkey project initiated by B.S. Pomeroy at U. Minn: Lack of an economic incentive failed to sustain the project. Poult Sci. 1982 Oct;61(10):1962-7. Incidence of Salmonella in fresh dressed turkeys raised under Salmonella-controlled and uncontrolled environments. Campbell DF, Green SS, Custer CS, Johnston RW. Abstract The incidence of salmonella in turkeys from experimental salmonella-controlled and uncontrolled, or normal, flocks processed at three turkey slaughter plants were compared. The results indicate that processing salmonella-controlled turkeys in a plant that routinely kills normal birds may result in the contamination of the salmonella-controlled birds, probably due to salmonella in the plant environment. The salmonella-controlled turkeys studied tended to have a lower incidence of salmonella than normal birds. These observation indicate that salmonella control practices in turkey raising can result in a salmonella reduction in market birds even under existing commercial slaughter, evisceration, and cooling procedures. Avian Dis. 1989 Jan-Mar;33(1):1-7. Studies on feasibility of producing Salmonella-free turkeys. Pomeroy BS, Nagaraja KV, Ausherman LT, Peterson IL, Friendshuh KA. Abstract The feasibility of producing salmonella-free turkeys was investigated over a 5-year period. In Phase 1, a hatchery-breeder flock operation was monitored extensively for 4 years. Hatching eggs from a primary breeder over this period (1978-81) resulted in salmonella-free day-old poults from which 7500 hens and 600 tons were selected for breeders each of the 4 years. Approximately 2.5 million poults were produced over the 4 years. Salmonella arizonae was isolated from the hatchery debris over a 2-week period in 1980. The pelleted feed contained no animal protein products except fish solubles. A sample of feed from each delivery was cultured with no salmonella isolations. Environmental samples of dust and litter remained negative for salmonella. Phase 2 involved monitoring seven grow-out flocks initiated with salmonella-free poults with extra precautions directed at the feed and environment. The intestinal tracts of five of seven flocks at the time of marketing were negative for salmonella. Phase 3 involved a primary breeder-hatchery that had a 10-year history of S. sandiego infection in its breeder flocks and poults. A vaccination program using an autogenous oil-adjuvant bacterin supplementing other sanitation and management efforts resulted in elimination of S. sandiego. Because the breeder went out of business, it was not possible to determine if the freedom from salmonella could be sustained over a period of years.