James Hook is 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 recent Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) by new chairman of the BPC, John Reed, who referred to 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 last 20 years, he has grown the business phenomenally into what we see today,” explained Mr Reed. “His company hatches almost 6m chicks a week and grows around 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 into the industry through training and working directly with the agricultural colleges.