By Will Raw, chair, NFU poultry board
I am honoured to introduce myself as the newly elected chair of the NFU’s national poultry board, succeeding James Mottershead, who has stepped down to focus on his farming business. James’ leadership steered the board through challenging times; I’m deeply grateful for his service and wish him every success. I will continue to build on his work to ensure our sector can thrive.
Like my predecessor, I am a broiler grower. Based in Yorkshire I produce for the independent market. My journey with the NFU began through the Poultry Industry Programme, before joining the national poultry board in 2022 and serving as vice chair from 2024. It is a privilege to represent our members at the highest level and ensure their voices are heard across government and the supply chain.
The NFU has been working with Defra and the Department for Business and Trade for some time to ensure the impact of Ukraine’s liberalised access to UK poultry markets under the UK‑Ukraine Free Trade Agreement is fully understood across Whitehall. Large volumes of Ukrainian poultry products have become commonplace in UK supply chains, and with tariff arrangements due for review in March 2026, our work on this has intensified in recent weeks. We are pressing for a balanced approach that supports Ukraine while safeguarding fair competition for British farmers.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw has written to the Prime Minister to raise the concerns of members about the scale and pace of Ukrainian poultry imports under the current liberalised arrangement. The letter calls for robust monitoring of import volumes, transparent data sharing, and the consideration of safeguard measures – such as tariff rate quotas or the reintroduction of targeted duties – should market distortion or harm to UK producers be evidenced. It also seeks clarity on rules of origin and product labelling to ensure consumers are accurately informed about the products they are purchasing and urges government to use the 2026 review point with Ukraine to secure a framework that supports their war-torn country without undermining the long‑term viability of UK production.
At time of writing the Avian Influenza (AI) situation is drawing parallels with the winter of 22/23. Although we have become used to outbreaks, the threat and worry never seems to diminish. My farm is currently in a 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ); having not been in a SZ before one item I found incredibly useful was the NFU’s ‘purple book’ on AI disease management. The document outlines all the procedures to follow should you find yourself in a Disease Control Zone or even as an infected premises. Hard copies are available, but an electronic version can be easily downloaded from the NFU website and I’d encourage you all to keep a copy handy.