British poultry award winners are ‘a national success story,’ says Shadow Food and Farming Minister

BPC award winners recognised for exceptional individual contributions to the resilience of the industry that is feeding the nation.

BPC Chair, Graeme Dear and event sponsor, Shadow Food and Farming Minister, Daniel Zeichner MP were joined by UK poultry farmers, producers and other key stakeholders, including Minister Mark Spencer, to celebrate the resilience of the industry that is putting food on every table.

The BPC Annual Awards recognise long and distinguished careers, contributions to research, potential for future excellence and individuals who have supported and made significant contributions to the British poultry industry. Mr Dear was joined by Mr Zeichner to present the Awards celebrating meritorious service.

Closing out his final term as Chair, Mr Dear told attendees, “We are here because we all share a stake in a vision that is incredibly special: feeding the nation quality food produced to world class, sustainable standards. Today, we find ourselves at a critical moment. The challenges are bigger than ever…but we continue to witness the resilience and strength of our sector. It all comes down to our people – some of whom we are paying tribute to today.” 

The challenges British poultry producers face are varied and, often, extreme. From Brexit burdens to the spread of avian influenza, Mr Zeichner touched on the barriers award winners have worked in the face of to ensure quality and accessible food: “this industry is a hugely important British success story. Feeding the nation is a matter of national security and, as things currently stand, there is a risk we go in the wrong direction and rely on importing more food…healthy and profitable domestic production must be prioritised.”

Mr Dear said: “In an ever-changing external environment, the thing that remains fixed is the safe, affordable. nutritious food put on every table and the Food Heroes behind it all. Resilient industries are nothing without resilient people. We are nothing without our workforce.

Today we celebrate the success stories of the people who have helped carry us through [challenges]. They have, in their own individual ways, contributed to the resilience of the industry we see today, building into a vision for domestic production.

For the prosperity of our industry, and therefore our food security, it has never been more important for this Government to back domestic food production, to back its poultry people.”

 Awards were presented to:

2019

2020/2021

2022

Please find a selection of photographs below