The British Poultry Council

Members of the British Poultry Council convened today for their AGM and Annual Lunch, as well as a short conference on ‘Environmental Impact: Policy, Practicality and Perception’.

Agriculture and poultry farming are at the heart of the debate about climate change and environmental impact, as David Miliband has highlighted with ‘One World Farming’.

Speaking today, Ted Wright, Chairman of BPC said: “Indoor poultry farming is one of the most sustainable means of meat production; it uses finite natural resources efficiently (especially water), it produces low levels of pollution, its litter is used for electricity generation and it has substantially less global warming potential than the extensive livestock sectors“.

“Poultry producers are aware of their environmental responsibility and whilst feeding society, are working to meet consumers' concerns“, said Mr. Wright, “Indoor livestock systems are a necessary element in that mix, if we are to meet the demand for affordable meat products without bringing more natural areas into cultivation across the UK; efficient, conventional farming in Britain will remain the source of wholesome nutritious food at affordable prices for British consumers“.

Mr. Wright raised these issues in his AGM speech, and remarks to Lord Rooker and Opposition agriculture spokesmen: “Poultry farmers and processors are joined up to the BPC Climate Change Agreement with Defra and have, so far, reduced energy use by many times the targets set. Our sector is already the most environmentally sustainable of all livestock sectors, and should qualify for the gold standard under any proposed environmental labelling of food”.

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Notes to Editors:

The British Poultry Council is the leading representative organization for companies and individuals engaged in breeding, hatching, rearing and processing chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese to produce poultry meat.

Speakers at the short conference were Mr Brian Harding, Head of the Sustainable Food Chain dept DEFRA, Dr Donal Murphy-Bokern of Murphy-Bokern Agriculture and Dr James Northen of the IGD. Copies of the presentations are available upon request.

Ted Wright has been the Chairman of the British Poultry Council since June 2004, when he retired as Managing Director (Hungary), Bernard Matthews Ltd.

Photos of the AGM and conference speakers are available from BPC.