Episode Details

Tom Willings and Tom Woolman sit down together for a summer round-up of the stories shaping the poultry sector, from major changes in the feed industry to mounting pressure in the egg market.

The episode begins with Tom Woolman’s family holiday to the Dordogne, where a search for a farm visit led to a foie gras producer offering public tours of its entire operation. The experience prompts a wider conversation about force-feeding, transparency and the striking differences between British and French attitudes towards food production.

Attention then turns to ABN’s announcement that it intends to exit the UK monogastric feed business. Tom reflects on the company’s longstanding role in the pig and poultry sectors, its reputation for feed quality and its extensive support for industry events. The hosts consider how structural changes within the broiler supply chain may have contributed to the decision, as well as the opportunities that could emerge as ABN explores options for its sites during the proposed 12-month withdrawal.

The two Toms also examine research highlighted by The Guardian suggesting that organic egg production can have a greater environmental footprint than more intensive systems. While the underlying relationship between productivity, land use and environmental impact is unsurprising, they question whether older mortality and production data accurately represent today’s free-range and organic sector.

The discussion explores the difficult balance between environmental performance, animal welfare and consumer expectations. It also asks how broad conclusions about sustainable food systems can be translated into national policy, retailer commitments and individual investment or planning decisions.

Finally, the hosts assess the recent downturn in the wholesale egg market. Summer demand has traditionally softened, but the latest fall appears more significant following several years of tight supply. With packing centres reportedly carrying more egg, some businesses potentially turning volume away and longer-term farmgate commitments still in place, the episode considers how much financial exposure packers can absorb and whether contracts throughout the chain may need to be reconsidered.

The episode concludes with a preview of Poultry Network Live, taking place at Harper Adams University on 3 September, where Tom Woolman will chair a session examining broiler health and performance.

In this episode

• A revealing foie gras farm tour in southwest France
• Cultural differences in attitudes towards food and farming
• What ABN’s planned withdrawal means for poultry feed
• Environmental trade-offs between egg production systems
• Whether historic data reflects modern free-range performance
• Falling wholesale egg values and the potential impact on packers
• The challenge of balancing long-term contracts with a changing market
• A preview of Poultry Network Live 2026