By Aimee Mahony, chief poultry advisor, NFU
It’s hard to get away from the fact that many poultry producers feel under attack. Whether it be the persistent activism or extremism activity which we’ve seen in both the egg and poultry meat sectors or the unwavering critique of environmental impacts, it can feel like a continuous barrage of negativity.
Collectively we must take responsibility for telling the true story of our amazing sector. The people that work tirelessly to provide nutritious and versatile protein sources to feed the nation and the innovations that ensure we continually progress with bird welfare and advancements in technology. Consumers are free to make their own choices, but this must be based on fact.
The NFU national poultry board have all this in mind when confirming their vision for the future and they will be looking to protect, promote and progress the best interests of the sector in all that they do. You’ll be able to discuss this in more detail and share your views with board members at the Pig and Poultry Fair on the 15 and 16 May at the NEC, Birmingham. Board representatives will be available on the NFU stand (Hall 12, stand 860) and along with our members I look forward to welcoming you and maximising the opportunity to engage.
On the theme of engagement I’ve presented at the Midlands Free Range Discussion Group and the East Anglian Poultry Group within the last month and whilst its evident challenges persist, the passion and dedication of producers keeps shining through. I’m inspired by those who put their all into everything they do and even more so by those who are willing to share their experiences with others to improve the overall standing of the sector. I hope that this is something everybody involved in the sector continues to do and I’m more than happy to join similar events to share the work of the NFU if this is something you see value in.
I’m a huge advocate of supporting the next generation and ensuring that we have future ambassadors that are as passionate and enthusiastic as those that have led the industry before them. It’s perhaps timely then that I promote the NFU’s Poultry Industry Programme as we are currently accepting applications from interested members across England and Wales for the next programme. The deadline for applications is the 29 May 2024 and further information can be found on the poultry pages on NFU online.
Not only will we have past PIP members on the NFU stand at the Pig and Poultry Fair, but we are also leading a session with ABN at 12noon on both days which will showcase careers, succession planning and training opportunities within the sector. I look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible for this session which is taking place in the poultry forum theatre.