Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    3. June 2025
    4. 2025 Innovation supplement
    5. May 2025
    6. April 2025
    7. March 2025
    8. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    9. February 2025
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    20. June 2024
    21. 2024 Innovation supplement
    22. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    23. May 2024
    24. April 2024
    25. March 2024
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    31. October 2023
    32. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    33. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    By Chloe RyanJuly 1, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    June 9, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
Production

Comment: My 2020 vision for poultry

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanJanuary 20, 20202 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

By Thomas Wornham, NFU Poultry Board chairman 

Still waters run deep in the poultry industry. Our sector has benefited from another year of stability. Production and consumption of meat and eggs has complemented the needs of the consumer in terms of volume, while offering affordable products within a broad range of production systems.

Satisfying the consumers’ demand for large eggs has been raised with the retailers. Addressing the political concern of cage-free production is of great importance as it’s creating uncertainty. Some retailers are now offering customers mixed packs of eggs to redress the balance, but the fundamental issue of an oversupply of free range has taken a sector from being a niche into the mainstream.

In the broiler sector, in excess of 90% of poultry is reared in conventional house system, but there is market interference in the shape of the Better Chicken Campaign (BCC). The businesses that have worked hard specialising in organic and free range production have built brand recognition and a trusted supply chain to consumers prepared to compensate for such expertise.

In defence of standard broiler production, the NFU has commissioned two reports addressing the concerns of the BCC.

The turkey and specialist meat sector remain just that: specialist, with little consumer recognition. It seems a shame that these protein groups don’t benefit from greater sales throughout the year but I trust they benefit from being involved in the conversation regarding antibiotic reduction and renewed Red Tractor standards.

I believe our priority for 2020 is to create a standards discussion that benefits farmers: by trying to re-categorise egg sizes after Brexit, by educating politicians on welfare standards in the UK, or continually pushing the advances in antibiotic reduction. The forces of sentimental ideology verses agricultural pragmatism are becoming the battleground that could ultimately define our future.

 

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleComment: French problems are a sobering lesson for us all
Next Article Analysis: Strap yourselves in for a ‘monumental’ year
Chloe Ryan

Editor of Poultry Business, Chloe has spent the past decade writing about the food industry from farming, through manufacturing, retail and foodservice. When not working, dog walking and reading biographies are her favourite hobbies.

Read Similar Stories

Production

Comment: My foray into competitive smallholding

July 2, 20253 Mins Read
Egg Production

L.J. Fairburn & Son reports strong year of growth

July 1, 20251 Min Read
Egg Production

Yorkshire Farmhouse Eggs reports 39% rise in turnover

June 30, 20251 Min Read
Latest News

Empowering the workforce

July 2, 2025

Comment: My foray into competitive smallholding

July 2, 2025

Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

July 1, 2025
Sponsored Content

Navigating Sustainability in Egg Production: Practical Steps for Producers

June 1, 2025

Maintain stable and continuous coccidiosis control amidst stocking density reductions

November 1, 2024
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.