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
    • August 2025
    • 2025 Poultry Health supplement
    • 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. August 2025
    2. 2025 Poultry Health supplement
    3. July 2025
    4. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    5. June 2025
    6. 2025 Innovation supplement
    7. May 2025
    8. April 2025
    9. March 2025
    10. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    11. February 2025
    12. January 2025
    13. December 2024
    14. November 2024
    15. October 2024
    16. September 2024
    17. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    18. August 2024
    19. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    20. July 2024
    21. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    22. June 2024
    23. 2024 Innovation supplement
    24. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    25. May 2024
    26. April 2024
    27. March 2024
    28. February 2024
    29. January 2024
    30. December 2023
    31. November 2023
    32. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    33. October 2023
    34. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    35. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – August 2025 issue out now

    By Chloe RyanAugust 13, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – August 2025 issue out now

    August 13, 2025

    2025 Poultry Health supplement out now

    August 13, 2025

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
News

NFU deputy president calls for poultry industry levy to cope with AI

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanOctober 31, 20222 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

The poultry industry should consider introducing a levy on businesses to help pay for the devastating costs of avian influenza (AI).

Speaking at the 55th Egg & Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC), Tom Bradshaw told delegates that with more private insurers withdrawing from the market due to the risks, “the only solution” was “some sort of levy”.

“We need to have a conversation at a senior level about whether there is the appetite for that,” he said. “There is a similar scheme in Germany, but with the level of outbreak, it is very challenging.” In October alone there were 86 outbreaks of AI in the UK.

Bradshaw said in addition to a levy, the government compensation scheme needed to be altered to properly pay producers when culls were necessary.

Despite an announcement last week to change the timeframe of when payments were made, the sums still don’t add up, he said. “Compensation is simply not adequate,” he told the conference. With lack of proper insurance, producers are currently having to make difficult decisions about whether to restock.

The “holy grail” when it came to AI was a vaccine, said Bradshaw, but that may be up to two years away, and that was dependent on the strain remaining the same.

In the meantime, the NFU was calling for a national housing order. He also called for retailers to get on board. “Retailers going to have to make some difficult decisions,” he said. “It is not going to be a conversation about free-range or barn – it’s going to be a case of eggs or no eggs, or importing eggs that would be illegal to produce here.”

He said it was important to extend the 16-week period free-range producers can currently house birds without losing their free-range status. “We need to make the most of flexibility of not being in the EU,” he said. “Particularly in East Anglia we have producers saying we won’t have an outdoor unit for 18 months.”

Bradshaw went on to praise the adaptability and resilience of the whole poultry industry, dealing with multiple crises including inflation, Covid, and the lack of carbon dioxide.

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleGovernment announces new AI support
Next Article Comment: Just the thought of AI terrifies me
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

News

Four men imprisoned for diverting chicken not fit for human consumption back into food chain  

August 28, 20253 Mins Read
News

Last call for entries: Young Poultry Person of the Year award – deadline 1 September

August 20, 20252 Mins Read
News

Call for change for UK’s ‘antiquated’ meat inspections

August 11, 20253 Mins Read
Latest News

How can UK farmers make poultry profitable without losing welfare?

September 1, 2025

Poultry numbers grow in England, driven by broilers

August 29, 2025

Four men imprisoned for diverting chicken not fit for human consumption back into food chain  

August 28, 2025
Sponsored Content

How can UK farmers make poultry profitable without losing welfare?

September 1, 2025

Precision Nutrition: A global approach to reducing broiler feed cost.

August 1, 2025
© 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.