Poultry Council Report September 2024

1. Policy proposals for approval by National Council

N/A 

• Market Report 

IFA Poultry Committee have been focusing on protecting the farmer’s margin.  The Irish Poultry industry has had significant increases in input costs on farm and for processing plants and egg packers.  According to the CSO July data, poultry prices have increased marginally at 0.2% over the past month and the price of eggs has decreased by -1.1% over the same period. Prices over the past 12 months for both poultry meat and eggs have remained largely stable Poultry prices back -2.2% and eggs are virtually unchanged over the 12month period at an increase of 0.3%. The last National Council report for May indicated that there is significant demand on the market for chicken and eggs at the present time and occasionally shelves are very light for product. The same is true for the current period. Shelves are very light on products, in particular for eggs.  Currently, Lidl are importing barn eggs from Germany due to a ‘shortage in supply’ of Irish eggs for a 12week period. IFA are giving a clear message to the retailers that producers need to be paid more in order to reinvest in their farms, to expand and to attract new entrants into the industry. Furthermore, any reductions retailers may make on fresh produce must not be taken from the farm gate price for fresh chicken or eggs which would negatively affect the farmer’s margin. We recently met with the pullet rearing companies for layer hens who report that it is very difficult to get farmers to grow pullets going forward. Succession of the farms is a real problem as there is not enough margin in this business to entice younger farmers to enter into pullet rearing and indeed is challenging for most sectors.

According to the European Commission, the latest average price for broiler breast meat is €5.65/kg carcass weight (July 24). This was €5.42/kg carcass weight in May. While average EU egg price is €1.56/ dozen for all classes of eggs (Irish free range egg prices reported to the commission are €2.02/dozen wholesale while the EU average for those eggs is higher at €2.12/dozen). 

• Activity since last National Council
• Continuing to grow the IFA National Poultry WhatsApp group to share relevant information and updates to poultry producers and assist with knowledge transfer. 
• The Committee, led by Chairman Nigel Sweetnam, are in ongoing engagement with the retailers. 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 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 department, AHI, EPA, IEA, MII, Campylobacter forum and Bord Bia.
• Meeting with retailers on poultry specific issues relating to price, 
• Ongoing investigation of the production of biochar from poultry litter and its potential to increase artificial fertiliser potency by between 200-300%. 

• EU/COPA developments
• We lobbied MEP’s hard via our Brussels office on proposed IED revised thresholds. The trialogue text resulted in a reduction of the thresholds for pigs and layers and left broilers at status quo and excluded bovines. We were successful in having 36 MEPs reject the text but unfortunately lost out on the Plenary vote by a small number of votes. We will now focus on ensuring at MS level that the transition is a workable one for all involved in pig farming and layer hens. 
• 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 on this matter.  
• Engagement with DAFM / Public officials on VAT.
• We have engaged with Avec, the European poultry lobby group on several matters and they have invited us to engage more with them and consider joining the group. 
• 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, its expected that circa 3% of EU egg production would cease and up to 37% of pork meat would 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. 

This highlights the need for a food ombudsperson with statutory powers of enforcement. This is critical to controlling the power of a small number of retailers that have reduced the viability of poultry Irish farmers.

• Upcoming issues
• Actively engaging and working within the supply chain to ensure fair price is being returned to poultry producers. 
• Ongoing investigation of the production of biochar from poultry litter and its potential to increase artificial fertiliser potency by between 200-300%. 
• Seeking additional funding to provide research facilities through Teagasc with industry support for the sector.