Four-part plan points the way for poultry’s future

Developing a successful poultry industry, able to rise to the global challenge, requires a four-pronged approach, Alltech senior executive Patrick Charlton told the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference.

Outlining the size of the problem facing food producers, he explained that the world population was increasing by about 80m a year – “equivalent to the UK and Ireland, plus a few others”.

China was a major part of the problem, not just because its numbers were growing, but because of its increasing wealth and a desire to spend that money on a western diet. The biofuel industry was also adding to the pressure on foodstuffs, while cereal yields were not rising fast enough.

The poultry industry was well-placed to play its part, said Mr Charlton, but success would depend on four things:

Embrace new technology

To maximise genetic potential, producers would have to move with the times.

“The gene chip will play an important role, in helping us understand how, through husbandry and nutrition, we can get closer to what the geneticists are giving us in the bird,” he said.

Develop brands

“In agriculture, brand is a dirty word. But everyone will buy brands. You just have to understand what values your customer wants to associate with your product,” he said. Agriculture could do more in presenting its message. For example, in 1940 one farmer could feed 19 people, whereas today one farmer could feed 155 people. “That is an impressive improvement in efficiency by anyone’s standard.”

Communicate effectively

Things were changing fast and the poultry sector should realise that the next generation was wedded to Facebook and Twitter as a primary means of communicating. “Food is a really hot topic on social media,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity to get to the consumer with a good message.”

Make the industry exciting

“We have to bring bright people into our industry. If Steve Jobs had been born as a farmer’s son, what would he have done with agriculture? One thing for sure is he’d have done the same thing as he did with computers. He’d have made it exciting.”

Overall, Mr Charlton was optimistic about the sector’s future. “The poultry industry has been a fantastic success story and frankly it will continue as such. When you look at what consumers want from their meat production, poultry ticks all of the boxes.”