Poultry Council Report July 2025

Market Report 

The IFA Poultry Committee continues to prioritise safeguarding farmers’ margins. The Irish poultry sector has faced substantial increases in input costs, both at farm level and within processing plants and egg packing facilities. A significant contributor has been labour costs, which have risen further across the supply chain due to the minimum wage increase to €13.50/hour, alongside additional pension and sick pay costs that must ultimately be absorbed within the value chain.

Recently, there have been some detections of salmonella within the poultry sector. These cases were identified at stages where there was no risk to human health, highlighting the effectiveness of on-farm controls, sampling regimes and official testing structures. However, these incidents have underscored the considerable risks poultry farmers carry and the absence of adequate support mechanisms if a farm is affected.

According to CSO data for July, poultry prices rose marginally by 0.5% in the past month, while egg prices increased by 0.3%. Over the past 12 months, poultry meat prices rose by 1.8% and egg prices by 0.6%. As reported in November, there remains strong market demand for chicken and eggs, often resulting in limited shelf availability as demand continues to grow. The situation remains similar currently. IFA continues to send a clear message to retailers that producers must receive higher payments to cover rising costs, reinvest in their farms, expand production, and attract new entrants. 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 Minister for Finance recently announced that broiler poultry farmers will be removed from the Flat Rate VAT Compensation Scheme (FRA) effective 1st September 2025. This decision is based on a Revenue report, despite repeated communications from the sector outlining the absence of any systematic VAT overclaiming within broiler production and concerns that the report’s findings are flawed.

To date, the Statutory Instrument (SI) giving legal effect to this decision has not been published, and we await its final wording and operational detail. IFA continues to lobby for the introduction of a broiler-specific VAT rate, permissible under the 2010 VAT Consolidation Act and EU VAT Directive. Such a targeted rate would ensure fair and practical treatment for producers, particularly as most broiler farms are part of mixed enterprises, and removal from FRA will create significant administrative and financial burdens. IFA will continue engagement with the Department of Finance on this matter and has requested immediate sight of the SI to allow farmers adequate time to seek advice and adjust accordingly.

Activity since last National Council

• In recent weeks, IFA Poultry committee have been approached by Silverhill duck growers seeking representation. IFA have accompanied them to a meeting seeking a price rise with the Silverhill CEO and MD of Fane Valley who acquired Silverhill. We look forward to working proactively with them into the future. 
• 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.
• Nigel Sweetnam attended the Copa Cogeca Working Party and CDG meetings in Brussels in February, which included site visits to a poultry farm and hatchery.
• Copa Cogeca is drafting 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.
• The Committee, led by Chair Nigel Sweetnam and Vice Chair Brendan Soden, continues to engage with retailers, processors, and packers on price and other sectoral issues. Recent meetings addressed farmers’ margins, production system changes, sustainability, and overall viability.
• Committee members sit on the Bord Bia Technical Advisory Committee for poultry and eggs, representing farmer interests. Pilot audits will commence shortly.
• Ongoing engagements with the Departments of Finance, Agriculture, Revenue, and Industry on VAT (FRA) continues, as we seek a poultry broiler-specific VAT rate.
• 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.
• Meetings with retailers on poultry-specific issues, particularly around pricing and risk management.
• 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 worked 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 on this issue.
• Copa Cogeca presented conclusions of its impact assessment on ending cage use, outlining implications for agriculture and necessary transition periods.
• Engagement continues with Copa Cogeca to identify a sustainable solution for day-old chick management.
• Avian Influenza Update: The EU Vaccination Programme will introduce specific rules for vaccination when used for control or prevention, allowing safe movement of animals and products from vaccinated zones, as confirmed by Stella Kyriakides.  

Upcoming issues

• Seek clarification on the Statutory Instrument once it is published in relation to the removal of broiler poultry from the FRA. Poultry broiler farmers cannot lose out financially, as a result of this decision.
• 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, currently engaging with Poultry Ireland on this matter due to recent developments and the massive risk burdened by farmers. We have had a joint meeting with the DAFM and are working on a proposal to submit to the DAFM for review from Poultry Ireland.