James Hook is named poultry man of the year

James Hook, managing director of leading hatchery business P D Hook, has been named the British Poultry Council/BOCM Pauls Poultry Man of the Year 2010.

Mr Hook was presented with his award at the recent Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) by the new chairman of the BPC, John Reed, who told the audience of the “massive contribution that he has made to the British chicken industry”.

Having studied estate management at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, and then worked as a chartered surveyor for 10 years, Mr Hook then took over the family hatchery business as managing director.

“For the past 20 years, he has grown the business phenomenally into what we see today,” said Mr Reed. “His company hatches almost 6m chicks a week and grows abound 3.5m meat chickens a week in a joint venture operation.

“But we are recognising James Hook not so much because of the size of the company, but more for his unfailing commitment and support of British chicken and for his strong involvement in the wider poultry industry.”

This included his support and encouragement of young people to move into the industry through training.