WHAT HAPPENED: Former Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was sworn in Tuesday as Homeland Security secretary, succeeding Kristi Noem. The final vote Monday night was 54-45. All Republicans voted for Mullin with the exception of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) were the only Democrats breaking with their party to support Mullin.
WHY IT MATTERS: The secretary leads the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is responsible for guarding the nation against terrorism, cyberattacks, and other threats — both foreign and domestic. Alan Armstrong, an oil executive, was sworn in as a temporary senator appointed by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt.
WHO IS ALAN ARMSTRONG? Armstrong, 63, was the Executive Chairman of Williams Companies, a natural gas company based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Williams handles roughly a third of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. through its pipeline infrastructure, according to the company. Prior to stepping into his current role at the company last July, Armstrong served as the CEO of Williams for nearly 15 years.
WHAT’S NEXT? Under Oklahoma law, Armstrong cannot run for the seat. The Oklahoma primary election will take place on June 16, and candidates must officially file to run during a three-day period from April 1-3. Republican Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma has emerged as the leading candidate in the race. Hern represents Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, which is centered in the northeastern part of the state and anchored by the Tulsa metropolitan area.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “I grew up on an Air Force base, worked my way through school, built businesses, and served Oklahoma in Congress. Now I’m ready to fight for Oklahoma in the Senate,” Hern wrote in a post on X when announcing his campaign.
NCC’s TAKE: As the 13th largest broiler producing state in the country, NCC looks forward to working with the next junior senator from Oklahoma, whomever voters choose on November 3.
Alan Armstrong at the State Capitol on Tuesday. Source: AP
QuantiPath, based in Superior, CO, has joined the National Chicken Council as an allied member company. Dr. Beth Krushinskie, Vice President, Poultry, will serve as the official representative to NCC.
QuantiPath is a science-driven biotech initiative led by seasoned executives, with a mission to safeguard the food supply by revolutionizing food pathogen testing. At the center of this effort is GenoPATHX, a game-changing food safety testing platform developed over more than a decade by researchers at Tuskegee University and now exclusively licensed for global deployment. GenoPATHX is a qPCR-based platform designed to deliver quantified deep serotyping in under four hours, with no need for enrichment or culturing – enabling faster, more actionable decision-making.
Developed by a team of executives, microbiologists, and food safety consultants, QuantiPath’s solutions align with FSIS Key Performance Indicators and are purpose-built for poultry processors, packaged food manufacturers, and high-volume labs. To learn more about QuantiPath, visit their website here.
Online registration is now open for the National Chicken Council’s 2026 Summer Board of Directors Meeting, which will be held June 11-13 in Jackson Hole, WY. This meeting will offer a unique opportunity to discuss important matters and collaborate with fellow industry leaders. It is open to NCC board members, allied leader representatives, and invited guests only.
For more information, questions, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please contact Polina Burko at [email protected].
The National Chicken Council is most grateful for the continuing support of our sponsors:
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U.S. total broiler slaughter data for the week ending March 21, 2026, is estimated by USDA’s Poultry Market News Service to be 170,237,000 broilers, a 2-percent increase from the same week a year earlier.
The 2-percent increase in slaughter compares with a 2-percent increase in eggs set in the United States, 10 weeks earlier, and a 2-percent increase in chicks placed 7 weeks earlier in the United States. USDA’s latest Broiler Hatchery report can be viewed here.
| U.S. Eggs Set, Chicks Placed, Broiler Slaughter Report | ||||||||||
| Week ending | Eggs set | Chicks placed | Eggs set | Chicks placed | Broilers slaughtered | |||||
| change from | change from | 10 weeks previous | 7 weeks previous | |||||||
| 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | ||||||
| -000- | % | -000- | % | -000- | % | -000- | % | -000- | % | |
| Feb | ||||||||||
| 14 * | 254,580 | 102 | 195,378 | 102 |
248,862 | 101 | 193,930 | 101 | 172,177 | 103 |
| 21 | 254,948 | 102 | 192,565 | 101 |
253,045 | 102 | 196,861 | 102 | 172,407 | 106 |
| 28 | 254,549 | 102 | 194,181 | 102 |
252,529 | 102 | 195,873 | 103 | 170,100 | 101 |
| Mar | ||||||||||
| 7 | 252,362 | 101 | 195,083 | 102 |
252,666 | 102 | 196,122 | 103 | 172,229 | 103 |
| 14 | 253,715 | 102 | 196,200 | 102 |
252,239 | 101 | 194,978 | 101 | 173,432 | 104 |
| 21 | 255,182 | 102 | 195,874 | 102 |
253,361 | 102 | 195,386 | 102 | 170,237 | 102 |
| 28 | — | — | — | — |
254,388 | 103 | 195,573 | 102 | — | — |
*President’s Day Holiday Weekend
The staff at NCC wishes you and your families a very blessed and happy Easter weekend next week! NCC’s Washington Report will return on Friday, April 10.
