Poultry Council Report March 2025

1. Policy proposals for approval by National Council

N/A 

• Market Report 

IFA Poultry Committee have been focusing on protecting the farmers’ margin.  The Irish Poultry industry has had significant increases in input costs on farm and for processing plants and egg packers. One significant cost being labour which has increased again through the supply chain with minimum wage now €13.50/hour, additional costs for pensions and indeed sick pay that ultimately must be paid for.  As of recent times, there have been a few positive cases of salmonella across the poultry sector.  These have been detected at stages that have not been a risk to human health which is testament to the effectiveness of both the on-farm controls, the sampling regime and the official testing that is in place. However, it has really highlighted the significant risk carried by poultry farmers and the lack of supports should a farm be struck out. 

According to the CSO July data, poultry prices have increased marginally at 0.5% over the past month and the price of eggs has also increased by 0.1% over the same period. Prices over the past 12 months for poultry meat declined slightly, back -1% while eggs have increased over the 12-month period by 1%. The last Council report for November indicated that there is significant demand on the market for chicken and eggs at the present time and occasionally shelves are very light on product. The same is true for the current period. Shelves remain very light on products, in particular for eggs.  IFA are giving a clear message to the retailers that producers need to be paid more in order to cover increased costs, to reinvest in their farms, to expand and to attract new entrants into the industry. Farm succession is a real problem as there is not enough margin in this business to entice younger farmers to enter into poultry production and indeed is a challenge for most sectors. IFA will endeavour to meet with retailers over the coming weeks to outline the need to increase returns to poultry farmers. 

According to the European Commission, the latest average price for broiler breast meat is €5.84/kg (late Feb 2025).  This was €5.77/kg carcass weight in October ‘24, and €5.60/kg in July and €5.42/kg carcass weight in May. This represents an 8%increase from May ‘24 to Feb ‘25.  

EU commission reported prices for eggs are as follows; EU average free-range price was €2.36/dozen as of the February 24^th(increased from €2.17/dozen mid-October ‘24), while free range prices reported for Ireland were €2.03/dozen (unchanged). 

• Activity since last National Council
• IFA Poultry Committee hosted an online Poultry Biosecurity event on Tuesday, February 26^th at which over 200 producers attended amid increasing risk of Avian Influenza. The DAFM and NDCC also participated in a Q&A session at the event at which producers had the opportunity to raise pertinent questions.  Aonghus Lane, Poultry Vet at St Davids was the keynote speaker on the evening.
• Nigel Sweetnam attended the Copa Cogeca Working Party and CDG meetings in Brussels in February which included on site visits to a poultry farm and hatchery. 

• The Committee, led by Chair, Nigel Sweetnam and Vice Chair Brendan Soden, are in ongoing engagement with the retailers, processors and packers on price and other key issues to the relevant groups. Over the past number of months, we have met with the retailers to discuss farmers’ margins and other market developments & changes including changes in production systems, sustainability, and viability.
• Sitting as members on the Bord Bia Technical Advisory Committee for poultry and eggs to represent our farmer members.
• Members of the committee have been engaging with the Department of Finance, Agriculture, Revenue and Industry on VAT and have engaged IFAC to complete analysis on this. 
• Ongoing engagement with Teagasc and further meetings are to occur with Professor Frank O’ Meara to seek additional funding for the sector to conduct research and provide additional services for our poultry sector.  
• Continuous engagement with processors and egg packers on pricing and other group relevant issues. 
• Engagement with the Department, AHI, EPA, IEA, MII, Campylobacter forum and Bord Bia.
• Meeting with retailers on poultry specific issues relating to price and risk in particular. 
• Continuing to grow the IFA National Poultry WhatsApp group to share relevant information and updates to poultry producers and assist with knowledge transfer. 

• EU/COPA developments
• We will continue to work with Copa and Cogeca and the commission on the implementation of the IED to ensure it is as simplified as possible. Policy Executive, Sarah Hanley recently attended the IED Uniform Conditionals for the Operating of Livestock Pig & Poultry kick off meetings. Ensuring that simplification remains a priority of the UCOL working group is of utmost importance in particular for our smaller pig and poultry farmers. 
• European Food Safety Authority issued welfare recommendations for the transport of poultry. It is the Commissions intention to update this legislation and we are engaging with DAFM and Copa on this matter.  
• End of cages – presentation of study’s conclusions. Copa-Cogeca have conducted an impact assessment on the end of cages and the potential impact associated with the change for agriculture and associated transition periods. Should this come into immediate effect by 2025, it’s expected that circa 3% of EU egg production would cease and up to 37% of pork meat would also cease. 
• Day old chicks – engaging with Copa-Cogeca to find a suitable and sustainable solution to address this topic. 
• Avian Influenza update: EU vaccination programme – “In the context of avian flu, specific rules for vaccination will be introduced when used as a measure to control or prevent the disease. This will allow safe movements of animals and products from establishments and zones where vaccination has taken place” Stella Kyriakides. 

• Upcoming issues
• Our retail executive, Robert Malone, is in the process of arranging retail meetings for the poultry sector as cost pressures must again be addressed. We will continue to actively engage and work within the supply chain to ensure fair price is being returned to poultry producers. 
• Seeking support from DAFM on a national disease support structure for the sector and currently engaging with Poultry Ireland on this matter due to recent developments and the massive risk burdened by farmers. 
• Seeking additional funding to provide research facilities through Teagasc with industry support for the sector.