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

Farmers press the case for insect protein in poultry feed

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanJune 24, 20193 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

Poultry farmers have been pushing government to permit the scaling-up of production and use of insect protein in poultry feed.

This week, the Insect Biomass Conversion Task & Finish Group called on the Government to support insect protein as an attractive new and sustainable source of protein for food production.  Introducing insect protein to supplement common alternatives like fishmeal or soya provides a more sustainable way to meet UK and worldwide protein needs, avoiding unwanted land use change and meeting the challenge faced by aquaculture with limited global supplies of marine feed ingredients.  In the UK, this innovative new industry could be worth £1.0bn, generating an estimated 3,300 direct jobs and 600 indirect jobs in just five years, according to the NFU.

It said insect protein was a ‘transformative technology’ that could make a step-change breakthrough in the efficient use of resources in agriculture.

The group’s first UK market report makes the case for the UK Government to support insect biomass conversion, with a number of key recommendations:

•             Government to issue a national statement of support

•             Government and industry to support a central body that could drive rapid sector development for the UK

•             Government and industry to collaborate to secure dedicated funds to drive market development

•             Government to lead on delivering insect biomass legislation and regulation

•             Government to devise and provide short term fiscal incentives for early adopters

Thomas Wornham, NFU Poultry Board chairman and a member of the group, said: “Our members are extremely interested in being able to source sustainable alternative proteins from closer to home. This is potentially a huge opportunity for the poultry sector and we in the UK should be leading on the development. It potentially cuts our cost of production, gives us access to a very natural supply of quality protein and improves our competitiveness.”

Andrew Swift, CEO of Fera and coordinator of the Insect Biomass Conversion Task & Finish Group said: “Insect protein production can be a big part of the solution to the global protein deficit for sustainable rearing of livestock. This innovative and ‘clean’ industry has huge economic and environmental potential. It is critical that Government acts swiftly to ensure the UK does not lose further ground in this rapidly developing global market.”

Members of the Insect Biomass Task & Finish Group represent key stakeholders across the Insect Biomass value chain and are committed to collaborating in order to deliver insect production at scale in the UK. The group members are: Fera Science Limited (lead), Durham University, Entomics, Anpario, AgriProtein, UK FPPA, Zero Waste Scotland, (York, North Yorks, East Riding) LEP, British Poultry Council, Tesco, McDonalds, PFMA, NFU, Entocycle, CIEL, Humphrey Feeds & Pullets, AIC, NPA, Minerva, Multibox, Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre and Beta Bugs.

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleParliament debates ‘fake meat’ labels after Europe bans vegetarian copycats
Next Article BVA welcomes Scottish funding for Official Veterinarians
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

Pershore’s finest

July 4, 2025

Tackling red mite

July 4, 2025

Comment: Morrisons painful decision to stock imported chicken

July 4, 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.