Poultry leaders warn sector stuck in 'firefighting' mode
Britain’s poultry industry is stuck in “firefighting” mode — and risks losing strategic ground if it cannot lift its eyes to the horizon.
That was the blunt message from speakers at the NFU Poultry breakout session at the NFU Conference, where a packed audience heard that while the sector remains commercially strong, constant battles over disease, planning, trade and welfare pressures are limiting long-term progress.
The core theme was clear: poultry continues to deliver affordable, nutritious and sustainable protein, but the industry rarely has breathing space.
From avian influenza to policy consultations and rising input costs, producers are operating in a near-permanent state of crisis management.
Resilience, speakers suggested, is no longer just about surviving shocks. It is about securing investment, protecting standards and shaping public perception before others do it for the sector.
That tension was most visible during a sharp exchange on the Lion scheme and marketing investment.
A producer questioned whether enough is being done to extend the Lion mark’s influence into the processing sector, noting continued use of imported egg in some food manufacturing.
With an annual marketing spend referenced at around £1.5 million, it was argued that this represents a small proportion of overall farmgate returns and would be modest by mainstream brand standards.
The session brought together Nick Allen of the British Egg Industry Council, Ele Brown of APHA, NFU Poultry Board chair Will Raw and AVEC secretary general Birthe Steenberg, under the chairmanship of NFU Chief Poultry Adviser Aimee Mahony.
Nick Allen defended the long-term strategy, emphasising that the aim is steady reinforcement rather than short-term spikes.
Consumer recognition of the Lion mark has remained consistently high for more than a decade, he said, and that stability reflects sustained investment.
However, he accepted that maintaining competitiveness and visibility in processing remains a priority.
The debate then shifted to NGO pressure.
James Baxter, of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA), spoke candidly about ongoing friction with the RSPCA and RSPCA Assured, suggesting engagement can be challenging and that the sector must avoid operating defensively.
He indicated that he and colleagues were due to meet RSPCA chief executives later in the week, and in a pointed moment invited Birthe Steenberg to attend in his place.
Steenberg urged a pragmatic approach, encouraging producers to identify common ground with NGOs, particularly around import standards.
She argued that transparency and proactive communication are essential, warning that if the sector does not tell its own story, others will define it.
Planning constraints emerged as another structural barrier.
Producers described delays in securing permits for new sheds and expansion, saying investment is waiting on a more workable system.
Will Raw confirmed the issue is repeatedly raised with ministers and warned that uncertainty risks slowing growth in a sector otherwise performing strongly in the marketplace.
On avian influenza, Ele Brown acknowledged that disease frameworks may need to evolve as outbreak patterns shift.
Surveillance and biosecurity remain central, she said, but infectious disease management is shaped as much by human behaviour as by biology.
The session underlined that the poultry industry compares favourably internationally on standards and productivity.
Yet speakers warned that commercial strength alone is not sufficient.
Long-term success depends on fair trade conditions, protection against lower-welfare imports, planning systems that enable investment and the confidence to shape public debate.
If the session promised horizon scanning, it also exposed a crowded skyline.
The risk is not that the poultry sector lacks resilience — but that constant crisis management leaves too little time to decide where it wants to go next.
