Poultry Council Report February 2026

Policy proposals for approval by National Council

N/A 

Market Report 

The IFA Poultry Committee, under its newly elected Chair Brendan Soden, continues to prioritise the protection of poultry farmers’ margins across all production systems. The sector remains under sustained cost pressure at both farm and processing level. Input costs remain elevated, while labour costs continue to rise across farms, processing plants and egg-packing facilities. As previously confirmed, the national minimum wage increased to €14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026, representing an increase of approximately 4.8%. These ongoing wage increases, alongside additional statutory costs such as pensions and sick pay, continue to add significant pressure to margins throughout the poultry supply chain. The Committee maintains that these rising costs must be recognised and absorbed within the value chain to ensure the long-term viability of poultry production.

Disease risk remains a critical issue for the sector. Avian influenza looms however the level of instances has been kept to a minimum which is testament to the sector. The housing order has been in place since the 1^st of November. 5 turkey flocks tested positive for HPAI before Christmas and all zones at this stage have been lifted.  IFA met with a senior member of ADAS just before Christmas – the body contracted to complete the valuation tables for compensation for poultry.  It’s critically important that the valuation tables are current and reflect true market value of the birds so that farmers are adequately compensation.  Unlike with HPAI, for the majority of other notifiable diseases in poultry, there is little or no compensation available – for instance with Salmonella.  The Committee continues its engagement with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) seeking the establishment of a national disease support framework for the poultry sector. For farmers who are inside those zones for instance during a HPAI positive case and cannot be restocked, there is no support presently available for those farmers which can potentially be very damaging.  IFA will meet with department officials to discuss this in the coming weeks.

Market demand for both chicken meat and eggs remain strong, with supply constraints evident at times at retail level. Despite this, producer margins remain under pressure. Egg producers continue to seek increases of 24c per dozen for free-range eggs and 12c per dozen for enriched cage eggs, reflecting ongoing cost inflation.  We have concluded meetings with the 5 main retailers on this, but no money has been offered or passed back at this time. The Committee will continue to engage with packers and retail to ensure this happens. IFA have lobbied significantly on this matter for many years, and have managed to delay this significantly, but broiler growers have had their FRA removed and are now required to register for VAT. They have been advised to speak with their accountant or tax advisory service on the matter.  

Farm succession remains a serious concern, as insufficient margins make it difficult to entice younger farmers into poultry production, a challenge reflected across many agricultural sectors. IFA will continue to engage with retailers to emphasise the need to improve returns for both chicken meat and egg producers.

The IFA Committee have also made agreements with duck producers and Silverhill on a new payment package for their producers which has been a welcome development.  This is the first time the producers have formally requested the assistance of the IFA Poultry Committee, and we very much look forward to working with them into the future. 

Activity since last National Council

• On 5 February 2026, around 40–50 poultry farmers protested outside the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan ahead of a Bord Bia poultry workshop, led by IFA Poultry Chair Brendan Soden, where they urged the resignation of the Bord Bia chair and highlighted producer concerns. The scheduled workshop on producer standards and pilot audits was subsequently cancelled due to the protest.

• Engagement with retailers on the price request increase on eggs – Members of the IFA National Poultry Committee have met with the 5 main retailers to seek this increase. Work is ongoing in this area between IFA, retailers and packers.
• The IFA Poultry Committee hosted an online poultry biosecurity event attended by over 200 producers amid rising Avian Influenza risks. DAFM and NDCC joined the Q&A session, where producers raised key questions. The keynote address was delivered by Aonghus Lane, poultry vet at St Davids. Wild birds tested positive for Avian Influenza along the coastline in mid-June, underlining the need for ongoing vigilance. This recording is available online on the www.ifa.ie website at any stage for producers to refer to. 
• Nigel Sweetnam, former IFA Committee Chairman attended the Copa-Cogeca Working Party and CDG meetings in Brussels on the 3^rd and 4^th of September as his final meeting in Brussels. We thank Nigel for his many contributions during his term. 
• Copa-Cogeca has finalised its opinion paper on laying hen welfare for submission to the Commission. They intend to publish legislation on laying hens before addressing pigs, bovines, and other farm animals as part of the welfare legislation review. Impact assessments must be completed before any regulatory changes are implemented.
• Committee members sit on the Bord Bia Technical Advisory Committee for poultry and eggs, representing farmer interests. Pilot audits have been started but since delayed due to the housing order.
• Continued collaboration with Teagasc, with upcoming meetings scheduled with Professor Frank O’Meara to request additional sector funding for research and enhanced services.
• Continuous dialogue with processors and egg packers on pricing and other sectoral matters.
• Engagement with the Department, AHI, EPA, IEA, MII, Campylobacter Forum, and Bord Bia.
• Expansion of the IFA National Poultry WhatsApp group to distribute updates and knowledge transfer to poultry producers.

EU/COPA Developments

• The development of the position papers for the welfare of laying hens is currently being      lobbied on by the WP for Poultry. 
• Engagement with Copa-Cogeca and the Commission continues regarding implementation of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) to ensure a simplified approach. 
• The European Food Safety Authority has issued welfare recommendations for poultry        transport. The Commission plans to update this legislation, and we are working with         DAFM and Copa-Cogeca on this issue.
• Copa-Cogeca presented conclusions of its impact assessment on ending cage use,           outlining implications for agriculture and necessary transition periods.
• Tuesday 3rd February: Sarah Hanley, Nigel Sweetnam and Liam MacHale attended           the Working Party on Eggs and Poultry. IFA Poultry Executive Sarah Hanley delivered           a speech at an event hosted by the Institute of International and European Affairs dedicated to “Respect for Animals” alongside the CEO of World Animal Protection.

Upcoming Issues

• Ongoing retail engagement to address persistent cost pressures and margin sustainability.
• Securing DAFM support for a structured national disease support mechanism for the          poultry sector.
• Monitoring implementation and impact of biosecurity regulations and Avian Influenza          developments.