Let’s talk turkey: Software developed by alum provides farmers a sixth sense

The day he graduated from college, Jason Yordy ’07 told his dad he was ready to return to the family farm. But his dad’s response surprised him. He told him to find a job elsewhere.  

“That was a blessing in disguise,” the younger Yordy said. 

With a degree in agribusiness from Illinois State University, Yordy joined Caterpillar in Peoria as a heavy equipment operator, later transferring to Mossville as an engineer where he worked on the autonomous mining truck program. Feeding his curiosity about technology changed everything. 

Yordy never stopped doing chores at the family’s Morton turkey farm, feeling the crunch of white gravel under his feet as he did as a boy, walking the barns where he’d grind and mix feed, empty water dishes, and check on the health of 6,000 turkeys. 

On one of those days, he considered what little data farmers had on their flocks. Generations had used their senses to determine the growth and health of their birds, recording food and water consumption on a clipboard hung on a nail. Yordy asked his dad why they didn’t have more data, like the birds’ average weight. That’s when his dad gave him another good piece of advice. “Why don’t you figure that out?” he said. 

That question led to Yordy developing TurkeyTrac, a software program that combines experience with technology, providing real-time data on factors that impact the health, growth, and profitability of the flock. The program can detect a health issue two to four days before it could be discovered in the barn, Yordy said.

And in 2013, something else happened. Yordy got the call he’d been waiting for. His dad, Mike Yordy, asked if he’d be interested in returning to the farm full-time.    

Now, more than 100 turkey farmers across the United States and Canada are using TurkeyTrac. It’s a tool and vital supplement for those walking their barns 365 days a year. 

“It provides a sixth sense,” Jason Yordy said.