Thomas Lyons 
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) is calling for an alliance between Irish and European poultry farmers to counter welfare proposals coming from the EU. These proposals have the potential to “close down” the entire poultry industry, warns Nigel Sweetnam, the National Poultry Committee chair of IFA. The real elephant in the room is the new EU welfare regulations, he says. Proposed measures include reducing stocking rates on poultry farms to 25%, a ban on the transport of live day-old chicks, and limited growth rates. An alliance between poultry farmers under the umbrella group of EU farm organisations and agricultural co-operatives, Copa Cogeca, is the “only way” to block and create awareness of these proposals, he adds.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published two scientific opinions, including advice on space, density of animals, lighting, dust, noise, litter, and housing structures. The opinions will provide for the ongoing revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation. A legislative proposal from the European Commission is expected in the second half of 2023. The IFA chair, who questions the agenda behind the proposed regulations, said the proposals have to be “fought in the early days” as they could drive up the production costs to €25 per chicken. For broilers, the EFSA recommended that the growth rate should be limited to 50g per day. As well as that, stocking density should be “substantially reduced”.
The production costs continue to increase on poultry farms, including for energy. Feed prices, however, have decreased slightly, the IFA chair said.
At a recent meeting of Irish egg producers, Sweetnam presented the 2023 IFA poultry lifetime award to the founder of Whitaker Poultry, Ted Whitaker for his commitment to the Irish poultry industry. The award will be presented each year to someone who has significantly contributed to the development and the well-being of the Irish poultry industry, he said. Sweetnam highlighted the honour and the decency Ted Whitaker showed to farmers, particularly when some of his suppliers were hit by the outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu). “Part of the reason we gave him the award has been for the respect and the integrity with which he has dealt with farmers,” Sweetnam said stressing the importance of respect for poultry farmers from processors.
The welfare proposals being discussed in the EU are a cause of concern for the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA). The proposals could lead to the “closing down” of the entire poultry industry, warns Nigel Sweetnam, the National Poultry Committee chair of IFA. The proposed measures include reducing stocking rates on poultry farms to 25%, a ban on the transport of live day-old chicks, and limited growth rates. These proposals have to be “fought in the early days” as they could drive up the production costs to €25 per chicken, he adds.
An alliance between poultry farmers under the umbrella group of EU farm organisations and agricultural co-operatives, Copa Cogeca, is the “only way” to block and create awareness of these proposals, says Sweetnam. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published two scientific opinions, including advice on space, density of animals, lighting, dust, noise, litter, and housing structures. The opinions will provide for the ongoing revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation.
The IFA chair questions the agenda behind the proposed regulations, saying that it is the “real elephant in the room”. For broilers, the EFSA recommended that the growth rate should be limited to 50g per day. As well as that, stocking density should be “substantially reduced”. The production costs continue to increase on poultry farms, including for energy. Feed prices, however, have decreased slightly, the IFA chair said.
At a recent meeting of Irish egg producers, Sweetnam presented the 2023 IFA poultry lifetime award to the founder of Whitaker Poultry, Ted Whitaker for his commitment to the Irish poultry industry. The award will be presented each year to someone who has significantly contributed to the development and the well-being of the Irish poultry industry, he said. Sweetnam highlighted the honour and the decency Ted Whitaker showed to farmers, particularly when some of his suppliers were hit by the outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu).
“Part of the reason we gave him the award has been for the respect and the integrity with which he has dealt with farmers,” Sweetnam said stressing the importance of respect for poultry farmers from processors. The IFA is calling for an alliance between Irish and European poultry farmers to counter welfare proposals coming from the EU. These proposals have the potential to “close down” the entire poultry industry, warns Nigel Sweetnam, the National Poultry Committee chair of IFA.
