Category: Articles

Different chicken cuts and how to use them Avoid any food waste by taking advantage of all parts of the chicken!

Post author By atlas
Post date June 19, 2023
No Comments on Different chicken cuts and how to use them Avoid any food waste by taking advantage of all parts of the chicken!

We are aware of how delicious and nutritious a chicken breast recipe can be! However, there are so many other cuts of chicken that can make a delicious meal. Keep reading to find out your next chicken recipe!^[1]

The versatility of the chicken meat allows so many culinary techniques to try. This high-protein product allows roasting, grilling, baking, frying and other techniques to elaborate the most delicious of meals.

Upon reaching an internal temperature of 75ºC, chicken meat is correctly cooked. This applies regardless of cooking method, temperature, or kind of meat, including white meat like chicken breasts and wings and dark meat like drumsticks and thighs.

Keeping this in mind, there are six main edible parts of the chicken that are fit for the tastiest recipes:

The entire chicken: In some cases, the whole bird is the best cut and a perfect way to prepare it is roasting the whole chicken. Salt and brush with olive oil all sides of the piece before putting it for roasting for 20 to 25 minutes at 220ºC. Roast for an additional 30-45 minutes at 200°C and let it rest 20 minutes before enjoying it!
Chicken breast is one of the most common chicken cuts, known for its lean meat and high protein content. It is typically boneless and skinless, making it a popular choice for healthy meals. Chicken breasts can be grilled, baked, sautéed, or pan-fried and can be used in a variety of recipes, including salads, sandwiches, stir-fries, and pasta dishes.
Chicken thighs are a more flavorful and tender cut than chicken breast. They have more fat and connective tissue, which makes them ideal for slow-cooking methods like braising or stewing. Chicken thighs are also perfect for grilling or pan-frying and can be used in recipes like curries, soups, and stews.
Chicken wings are a popular appetizer and party food. They can be grilled, baked, or fried and are often served with a variety of sauces and dips. Chicken wings are also an excellent addition to soups and stews, providing extra flavor and texture.
Chicken legs, also known as drumsticks, are a flavorful and inexpensive cut of chicken. They can be roasted, grilled, or fried and are often served with a variety of spices and sauces. Chicken legs are also an excellent addition to casseroles, soups, and stews.
Chicken thighs with bones and skin are a flavorful and versatile cut of chicken. They are perfect for roasting, braising, or grilling, and the skin becomes crispy and golden. Chicken thighs with bones and skin are also ideal for adding flavor to soups and stews.
Chicken fat: The fat that gathers on top of the stock can be utilized in a number of different ways. After heating it gently to remove all the water, filter it to get the best results. Using it, you can roast potatoes or root vegetables or create latkes. After two weeks in the refrigerator, freeze in an airtight container.

The compromise of the European Poultry sector with avoiding food waste is a big part of the social sustainability pillar. Taking advantage of all parts of the animal is essential to avoid food waste and thanks to the versatility of poultry meat, it can be done through delicious recipes.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

SUST EU POULTRY is a two-year promotion campaign supported by the European Commission and launched by three national poultry associations and their European umbrella association (from Germany, France and Spain) with the main goal of raising awareness among European consumers and professionals about the sustainability of the European poultry sector and a product of great quality.

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Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

sust@eu-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

^[1] https://www.delish.com/uk/cooking/recipes/g30961649/chicken-cuts-best-recipes/

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/cooking/g2775/best-chicken-cuts-for-recipes/

Articles

How is the current energy crisis affecting the European poultry sector?

Post author By atlas
Post date June 19, 2023
No Comments on How is the current energy crisis affecting the European poultry sector?

Poultry producers all around the European Union have been hard struck by raising energy costs, which have hampered profitability and occasionally compromised operations.

Poultry workers across Europe are expressing worries about possible production interruptions in the poultry industry.

The current crisis is more unpredictable than anything European poultry farmers have previously experienced, which has led to concerns to arise.

Past solutions such as drastic drops in fuel prices seem inefficient for the current situation, and members of the sector are worried it might affect consumption of poultry products in Europe.

As the head of communications at BVG^[1] recently expressed, the higher cost of electricity and raw materials has a significant impact on the entire poultry sector. It generates difficulties to farms and the entire value chain to the point of hindering product delivery and food security.

More specifically, the crisis has been affecting broiler house heating systems that frequently employ gas as a fuel source, making it difficult to predict how quickly and how much it would cost to install a different system.

However, there are still some chances. For poultry farmers,solar panels on barn roofs are ideal because they lower the cost of fans, feeding, and cleaning systems, especially in the hotter, summer months. ^[2]

Other solutions include various alternative power generation techniques, so the European poultry sector can ensure that there is a sufficient supply of product. Such alternatives include several farms that already utilize the waste heat from biogas plants or other energy sources to help in the generation of sustainable energy.

Other energy saving examples would be updating the lights as a technique able to reduce energy use by 60%. Farmers upgrading from fluorescent to LED lighting has reduced energy usage from 11,340 kWh to 3,780 kWh.^[3]

European farms raising poultry are starting to increase their demand for solar energy as a result of the energy crisis, while other farmers are searching for the largest installations feasible, giving the chance for photovoltaics to emerge and allow capacities of 100-200 kW or 1-2 MW.^[4]

The resilience of the poultry sector during the current energetic crisis is directly linked to the environmental pillar of the sustainability of the sector.

Seeking for green energy alternatives and developing technologies to adopt more efficient energy systems is a big part of the European poultry sector.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

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Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

sust@eu-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

^[1] Michael Steinhauser, head of communications at the German Poultry Association.

^[2] NFU Energy

^[3] Ignaczak Poultry Farm in Poland

^[4] EDP Energia Polska

Articles

Modern technologies in the poultry sector

Post author By atlas
Post date May 9, 2023
No Comments on Modern technologies in the poultry sector

The future is here: modern technologies in the European poultry sector

How the latest technologies contribute to a more sustainable sector

When thinking about the European poultry sector, an old-fashioned image might come to your mind. However, the European poultry sector employs some of the latest technologies in the world, contributing to a more sustainable production chain in terms of environment , society and economy.

Keep reading to find out more about the modern technologies in the poultry sector!

Nowadays, there is an imperative across different sectors to become even more cost-efficient. Achieving that goes hand in hand with following the latest technological developments

While the poultry sector is part of this modernisation tendency, cost-efficiency is just one of the aspects sought by the sector. This means involving new technologies in the production chain with the purpose of offering a product high in quality and respectful with the environment, the society and the economy.

But what exactly do these modern technologies imply?

Data analysis and exchange^[1]

Collecting data on the state of the birds is achieved through AI methodologies and monitorization systems.

However, this data collection is not only limited to the state of the birds, but also to help manage the farms and assist farmers with optimizing production methods.

Modern services provide farmers and producers with remote and real time systems to control and look after the birds and everything around them, while also optimizing production through self-learning algorithms. These technologies also help farmers across Europe connect with each other to share data and results for the seek of this optimization.

Water and feed management^[2]

One of the most important and modernized aspects in poultry farms is the management of water and feed for the birds.

This means monitoring and taking care of essential aspects such as feed and water quality and quantity, management, rationalization and other sustainable aspects such as implementation of zero energy bumps, rainwater and stormwater harvesting and treatment and general storage of water and feed in the farms.

These technologies of management help farmers with meeting objectives for weight of feed and conversion ratio in order to provide the birds with the best health and welfare conditions.

Feed improvement^[3]

Ensuring the quality of the ingredients in feed composition in order to maintain and improve gut health for the birds, avoiding any medical conditions and, therefore, the use of antibiotics.

Through feed improvement, the microbiota of the animals is controlled and a better absorption of nutrients included in the feed.

Barn monitoring^[4]

Services aimed at improving the performance and results of the barns in order to create a more sustainable environment for the birds. Such services include ventilation systems that can be fully and remote controlled by the farms.

Features and advantages like indoor climate monitoring helps in reducing mortality amongst the birds, adapting the indoors environment to the weather conditions, all with an optimisation of the energy.

Aside from these already employed systems, some other new technologies are being developed as a very interesting choices to help advancing poultry production, such as employment of 3d cameras to help controlling the birds’ weight, robots programmed to motorise poultry floor state and distribution and other robotic elements designed to interact with the birds without causing them any disturbance.^[5]

All these advanced technologies are in continuous improvement and under innovation revision to provide the poultry with the best health and welfare conditions while helping the whole sector become more efficient and sustainable.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

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Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

sust@eu-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

^[1] OptiFarm

^[2] AgriSmart

^[3] Evonik

^[4] Vencomatic Group

^[5] WattPoultry- 3 technologies ready to advance poultry production

Articles

What do our animals eat

What do our animals eat?

Feed in the European sustainable poultry sector

Ever wondered what the composition of modern feed formula for poultry is in the EU? Although the majority of feed is composed of wheat, the ingredients included in feed are various and necessary to keep a healthy diet for our animals.

Keep reading to learn more about this topic!^[1]

As part of social sustainability, feed and its composition in the European poultry sector are essential factors to take care of. Wheat, soybean, rapeseed and fishmeal, a formula ensured without the use of antibiotics, this is the general composition of the common broiler feed in Europe.

Regarding feed composition and its use in Europe, there is a greater level of variability in aspects like operation size, ingredient availability or nutritional knowledge, all among the different member states and European nutritionists.

However, in general terms, wheat is the main cereal found in feed composition in Europe. It is not the only cereal that is included in feed, as corn is also added either from local origin or imported. Wheat has more protein and phosphorus.

The use of fishmeal as ingredient provides excellent nutritional results when the origin is a product of the best quality. It is the case of herring meal as a source of 70% crude protein. However, due to higher costs, this ingredient can be replaced by vegetable proteins.

In terms of protein, soybean meal remains the major ingredient providing the protein source. However, as the EU is seeking to reduce dependency on this ingredient, alternatives like the fast development of rapeseed cultivation (about 35% crude protein) are becoming a relatively more affordable and available ingredient.

Finally, other ingredients would include agents like coccidiostats. And what are these? According to Science Direct: coccidiostats are antiprotozoal agents that act on coccidia parasites by inhibiting reproduction and retarding the development of the parasite in a host cell. They are most commonly used in poultry populations by addition in the feed at the authorized levels and observing the prescribed hygiene requirements.

These agents are not considered as antibiotics, as they are allowed for use, unlike other components like bacterial antibiotics that have been banned completely for growth promoting usage in the EU.

In general terms, the ingredient proportions in 1000 pounds of modern feed formula for poultry would be as follows:

Source: Ioannis Mavromichalis, Ph.D.

European Poultry sector takes good care of the quality and composition of the feed given to our animals, providing with all necessary nutrients and complying with the highest standards set by the European Union. That approach is just a part of the social sustainability pillar, to which the sector is committed.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

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Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

sust@eu-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

^[1] Source: Modern European broiler feed formulations – FeedStrategy

Articles

Waste management – More that just avoiding food waste

Post author By atlas
Post date May 9, 2023
No Comments on Waste management – More that just avoiding food waste

It is not all about poultry meat consumption!

Waste management and the usage of poultry by-products

Have you ever heard about animal by-products before? According to the European Food Safety Authority, these are “materials obtained from animals which are not intended for human consumption”.^[1]

And did you know that these products are reutilized in other sectors and industries in a cycle of no-waste policy? That’s right, no-waste does not only refer to food waste, and the European Poultry sector knows a thing or two about this. Keep reading to find out!

Poultry by-products in other sectors

Around 68% of a chicken is detained for human consumption^[2], which means that million tons of meat not destined for direct human consumption are produced in the EU every year. This material, known as by-products, is then transformed into a variety of alternatives used in several other sectors.

These by-products include, among other things: slaughterhouse waste (such as skin, bones, blood or fat) and materials produced by the animals such as manure, eggshells or feathers.

Several applications are given to these alternative products in the poultry sector, as part of a sustainable, reduced waste production system.

And what is exactly the alternative use given to these materials? The options are several and in many sectors: human food, animal feed, beauty products, fertilization, pharmaceutical and other technical use.

More specifically:

Bones, skin and tendons are used to produce gelatine for use in human food such as desserts or candy; pet food including vitamin supplements and treats; capsules for pharmaceutical use and other technical use such as paper coating.
Other body parts such as offals are employed in producing fats and animal protein for human food use, animal feed, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and technical products.
Feathers are reutilized for fuel and pet food production and other uses related to the keratin composition.^[3]

By-products from other industries used in the poultry sector

But the poultry sector does not only provide by-products to other industries, but also benefits from it.

In fact, the EU recently lifted the ban on using animal by-products for poultry feed, as a policy to avoid waste of animal parts that are not adequate for human consumption.

In July 2021, the European Council voted to lift the ban originated in 1994 by the BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) crisis, to avoid cross-contamination in feed.

This decision stands on two main reasons:

The European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy both encourage the use of these products to avoid waste in a sustainable cycle of usage.

On the other hand, the minimal danger for cross-contamination, taking into consideration the last case in the EU was registered in 2016.

Both methodologies are useful to help improve the quality of feed, helping digestibility and higher sources of protein.^[4]

Now you can say you know a little more about by-products use in the poultry sector and how it is not only and all about meat consumption!

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

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Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

sust@eu-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

^[1]Questions and Answers on animal by-products

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_04_107

^[2] Questions and Answers on animal by-products

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_04_107

^[3] Non-food industrial applications of poultry feathers. https://europepmc.org/article/med/26092473

^[4] European Fat Processors and Renderers Association

Articles

Production value chain of the poultry sector_ what came first egg or chicken

Post author By atlas
Post date May 8, 2023
No Comments on Production value chain of the poultry sector_ what came first egg or chicken

Which came first, the (sustainable) chicken or the egg?
A brief overview of the Sustainable Poultry value chain

Eggs come from chickens and chickens come from eggs: that’s the basis of this ancient riddle. But eggs – which are just female sex cells – evolved more than a billion years ago, whereas chickens have been around for just 10.000 years.

So the riddle is easy to solve…isn’t it?^[1]

Speaking of chickens: did you know that poultry became an essential part of our diet around the 20s? It was not until the 1920 that production began in real poultry houses. At that time, chickens were raised mainly for their eggs.

Only in the 50s, chicken farms for the meat market had largely surpassed layer farms.

Back to nowadays, you’ll be interested to know that, before arriving into retail, poultry meat products go through a whole, controlled process of great quality and safety that begins with something as simple as an egg.

Keep reading if you want to find out more about the European Poultry value chain!^[2]

Stage 1: Primary breeding farms

As the first stage in the production chain, pedigree chicken groups are bred under strict hygiene conditions in specialised farms. To ensure the health and welfare of the animal and the quality of the later product, disease prevention controls and biosecurity are guaranteed through several aspects for health, welfare and egg productivity.

Furthermore, the selection process focuses on genetic characteristics, naturally inner to chickens, likely to be passed to the chick. These breeding measures have helped for the past 15 years in reducing the amount of feed needed to produce 1kg of poultry meat.^[3]

From this breeding process initiates the line of animals all the way to broiler chickens bred for meat production.

Stage 2. Hatcheries

This is where the cute, little chicks happen!

Fertilised eggs arrive at hatcheries and go through an incubation phase of 21 days. Best part is the process mirrors the brooding hen’s particularities (heat conditions), until the egg is hatched!

Environmental and hygiene requirements are ensured and optimised to help the chicks hatch in the best health conditions. After all, the EU standards guarantee that poultry farming meets the same minimum requirements in all Member States, includings hatching farms.

After hatching, all the chicks, go through inspection and spray vaccination, ready to be transported to broiler farms by trucks with special requirements to ensure a climate-controlled environment. Animal health and welfare in all the stages of the production chain is part of the sustainability aspect of the sector.

Stage 3. Broiler farms

Recently hatched chicks arrive at broiler farms and keep in specific heat conditions during the feeding phase. Feed and water in the European poultry sector are obtained through sustainable use of natural resources and choice of feed by choosing locally grown crops. This way, all nutritional needs of the chicks are met while they grow.

In the EU, fattening poultry takes place in large flocks in floor systems – This allows the birds to move freely and perform their natural behaviours (pecking, scratching, and dustbathing).^[4] This way, they ensure to be raised with high welfare and health conditions, through innovative technologies enabling farmers to monitor and regulate temperature conditions in real-time, as well as feed management, weight and lighting.

Furthermore, broiler farms in the EU are allowed a maximum stocking density of 33 kilograms per square metre for chicken, which is reached only towards the end of the rearing phase^[5]. According to the Council Directive (EC) 2007/43, however, it can be increased to up to 42 kilogrammes for chickens under very strict conditions.

In the barns, the animals always have access to fresh drinking water and feed. The floor is covered with natural bedding, and the lighting provides a natural day-night rhythm. Air circulation, dust content, humidity, and air quality are subject to constant electronic monitoring to ensure that the animals are reared in conditions appropriate to their species.

Stage 4. Processing plants

Transportation to the processing plant occurs when the broiler chickens are ready in weight terms. High standards in transportation guarantee a stress-free journey to the slaughterhouse. This means that there are specific guidelines to follow for transport from the breeding farm to the slaughterhouse, including regulations on how the animals must be completely healthy before getting location shifted. Strict regulations on space during transport and transport times must be observed, for the animals must not be on the road for longer than 12 hours.^[6]

Another remarkable factor for animal welfare is the staff’s expertise and responsible behaviour in everyday production, as many professionals are involved in the supervision of the processing plant link of the production chain (veterinarians, inspectors…)

At the plant, the first step is to inspect the animal. Strict hygiene and labelling requirements ensure high product safety, being a decisive factor for animal welfare the staff’s expertise and responsible behaviour in everyday production.

These hygiene regulations apply to the entire process (slaughtering, processing and marketing): every room and all equipment must meet high standards. Companies are therefore obliged to apply HACCP-based procedures. This way, compliance with animal welfare and hygiene requirements is monitored by an official veterinarian who carries out numerous checks before and after slaughter.

Chickens are put into unconsciousness before slaughter, with humanly and scientifically approved methodologies, to ensure that any avoidable pain, suffering, stress or excitement is prevented. The official veterinarian and their assistants are present in the slaughterhouse throughout the day to supervise the operations. Then, defeathered carcasses and the internal organs are removed. Feathers, blood and other by-products are later used in other sectors in a process of giving value to every part of the animal. This way, all by-products can be exploited for other purposes and in other sectors such as fertilisers, feed, components of pet food, and so on.

The carcasses are washed, and then chilled, graded and weighed. Later, some are destined for sale as whole pieces, others are sold by cuts and others continue the processing chain into other meal options (charcuterie, ready-to-go meals…).

Moreover, whether chilled or frozen: each packaging unit must be labelled when it leaves the slaughterhouse or processing plant, so that it can be easily traced.

In conclusion: the sustainability of the value production chain in poultry is present in every step of the animal life cycle, taking care of its safety and welfare, in order to deliver a product of quality and of responsible production.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

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Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

sust@eu-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

^[1] Which came first, the chicken or the egg? https://www.newscientist.com/question/came-first-chicken-egg/

^[2] International Poultry Council

^[3] AVIAGEN. http://eu.aviagen.com/about-us/sustainability/

^[4] AVEC, This is European Poultry! Press Kit 2020.

^[5] AVEC, This is European Poultry! Press Kit 2020.

^[6] AVEC, This is European Poultry! Press Kit 2020

Articles

Choose EU origin, choose quality

Post author By atlas
Post date May 8, 2023
No Comments on Choose EU origin, choose quality

Choose quality products, choose EU origin!

Do you ever look at the origin of the products you buy? You are not the only one! It is in fact becoming a trend among EU citizens. Moreover since consumers are getting more interested and concerned about the way food products are produced, traceability and impact on the environment of production chains.

In March 2022, the European Commission published an Eurobarometer report entirely dedicated to the perception of European citizens about Agriculture and the EU common agricultural policy (CAP)^[1]

Results showed how 95% of respondents, one out of ten, consider agriculture and rural areas of importance for the future.

But, what exactly implies this importance for the consumer? What factors are considered in the purchase of agricultural products for EU citizens?

Among other factors such as being part of a short supply chain and respecting tradition and local know-how, origin and quality indicators are key characteristics of the product for consumers in the EU.

Data shows that at least half of European citizens take into consideration the origin of the agricultural products acquired, even more when these products come from a geographical area they know.

Quality ensured through specific quality label indications is also a factor that at least two-thirds of respondents take into account and value.

More specifically, what EU consumers consider….^[2]:

When buying food products:

For the origin of the product:

While this is a general result for the average EU citizen, results on the participating countries for this programme are quite positive too:

Results in Germany^[3] show that:

-When purchasing food products:

For the origin of the product:

For French consumers^[4]:

-When purchasing food products:

For the origin of the product:

In Spain^[5]:

-When purchasing food products:

For the origin of the product:

In the case of the European poultry sector, the strict EU regulations to ensure quality standards of the product are followed and also subject to continuously improving production conditions with regard to resource conservation, reduction of waste, more sustainable use of natural resources and animal welfare.

National efforts to show quality and origin of food products.

Following the positive aspects of indicating the origin of agricultural products^[6], Member States have chosen different implementation methods to indicate this aspect of the products.

Among the participating countries in this programme, Member States’ choice to reflect origin in meat products, including poultry, was as follows^[7]:

–Germany: Over 300 voluntary schemes that have an origin component for poultry meat in Germany. Besides, individual federal states count with their own origin-labeling scheme (Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine Westphalia).

–France: For poultry meat, la Volaille française’ (‘French poultry’) is based on an inter-branch agreement supported by the Association of French Poultry Producers to indicate origin of the poultry product.

Furthermore, the French government has proposed to require indicating the origin of fresh meat for all species sold in all restaurants

–Spain: Alimentos de España’ (‘Food from Spain’) is a voluntary Spanish origin label for poultry and other types of meat. Operators comply with those voluntary schemes to pursue product-differentiation strategies.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

Find more information about the project here

You can also learn more about sustainability of the sector by downloading our press kit here.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

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Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

sust@eu-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

^[1] Special Eurobarometer 520. Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2665

^[2] Special Eurobarometer 520. Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2665

^[3] Special Eurobarometer 520. Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP: Germany https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2665

^[4] Special Eurobarometer 520. Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP: France https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2665

^[5] Special Eurobarometer 520. Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP: Spain https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2665

^[6] Special Eurobarometer 520. Europeans, Agriculture and the CAP

^[7] COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EVALUATION of the mandatory indication of the country of origin or place of provenance for fresh, chilled and frozen meat of swine, sheep, goats and poultry https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021SC0218&qid=1628749346728#footnote2

Articles

How to champion a sustainable meat production

Post author By atlas
Post date May 8, 2023
No Comments on How to champion a sustainable meat production

Brussels hosts the event with the main focus on European sustainable poultry

This Sustainability Charter, held on November 30th at the Press Club Brussels, symbolizes the commitment of the European poultry sector to a more sustainable future.

Poultry is an important source of protein and an essential part of the diet of most Europeans. In the past ten years, EU consumption has increased by 23%. Experts predict a positive trend of growth over the next decade. On a global level poultry meat has established itself as the most consumed meat. EU poultry producers want to demonstrate they are responsible, and that production can be done in a sustainable way. They want to increase the awareness of EU consumers on sustainable practices of the sector, by informing them and allowing them to make informed choices.

The event was celebrated, as Gert-Jan Oplaat, the President of AVEC pointed out in his opening remarks, a way to provide a clear roadmap on the essential attributes leading to achieving sustainability, by seeking the best balance between the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economical. Our poultry sector is part of the solution, moving forward to ensure sustainable and available food.

Food sovereignty was also discussed during the meeting, remarked by the President of AVEC as a current problem of relevance in Europe. For this reason, the European poultry organization has pledged “to maintain a sufficient level of production to sustainably feed the EU and the world population with quality and affordable poultry meat.”

During the event, sustainable poultry production was discussed, as well as trade-offs that it brings. With a remarkable group of panelists, the discussion helped to debunk some myths associated with the production of poultry meat in the EU, but also reflect on the steps that the sector has taken to improve both its environmental, economic, and social impact.

INVITED PANELISTS:

Brigitte Misonne, Head of Unit, Animal Products, DG AGRI, European Commission

Colm Markey, MEP, AGRI Committee, European Parliament

Els Bedert, Director, Product Policy at EUROCOMMERCE

Birthe Steenberg, Secretary General, AVEC MODERATOR:

MODERATOR:

Andrea Bertaglio, Environmental journalist – European Livestock Voice

PROGRAMME:

16:00 – 16:30 Registration

16:30 – 16:40 Opening remarks by Gert-Jan Oplaat / President, AVEC

16:40 – 17:45 Moderated discussion and Q&A

17:45 – 17:50 Closing statements

17:50 – 19:00 Networking drinks

You can watch the discussion and Q&A session in the video below:

On this occasion, AVEC also presented their Sustainability charter, available to read in English here.

Articles

What European poultry can do (and does) to help employment in rural areas

Post author By atlas
Post date July 28, 2022
No Comments on What European poultry can do (and does) to help employment in rural areas

What European poultry can do (and does) to help employment in rural areas

The European poultry sector is continuously aiming to help employment growth in rural areas, by creating jobs in locations at risk of depopulation in the European Union and securing employment and a better living for the farmers.

Direct employment in the European poultry sector

Did you know that around 370.000 people in the European Union are currently making a direct living from the poultry sector? That’s more than the entire Iceland population!
All alongside the production chain, from breeding to processing, around 370.000 are proud to be part of this sustainable sector.

Working in the European poultry sector, in fact, means passion, care and family business. As key elements of the sector, poultry meat is produced in the EU in more than 25.000 family farms and companies, the work of the sector involves professionals of several branches along the production chain engineers, transport crew, veterinarians, in order to keep up with the latest improvements of the sector and the needs of the animals, as well as the needs of end consumers (with the works of butchers, retailers and chefs).

But employment in the poultry sectors is not only limited to the farming and processing activities. One of the goals of the SUST EU POULTRY promotion campaign is to raise awareness on the importance and many facets of employment in the poultry sector. This way, we will let you know how poultry boosts economic growth and strengthens local communities through securing jobs in rural areas.

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Employment in the European poultry: participating countries

Now that you know about the main features of employment in the poultry sector in Europe, you would like probably to discover more details about this topic in your own country.

Germany, France and Spain are three of the largest poultry producers in Europe (just after Poland). Therefore, the sector provides direct and indirect job opportunities to a remarkable amount of people in the connected fields. Keep reading to find out more detailed information about employment in each national poultry sector:

Germany
According to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany poultry meat contributed a total of 6% to the agricultural production value, accounting for 2.5 billion euros in 2021.

The main employment around poultry production in Germany revolves around poultry farms, as almost 80% of the poultry meat produced in this country comes from chicken, making it the most important branch in this field.

In 2020, 3,800 farms worked with 92 million chickens, with the highest focus on this activity found in the Lower Saxony Area.

France
According to the National Institute for Agronomic Research and the Meat Industry Interprofessional of France, a total of 14,000 poultry farms can be found in the country. Anchored in the heart of the territories, the sector employs around 100,000 professionals, including around 34,000 on the farms themselves.

In fact, the poultry sector creates more jobs than the average livestock sector, with a share of 34% of total jobs on farms, compared to an average of 44% for all livestock sectors. They represent the third most important type of livestock farming in terms of the number of dependent jobs created per job on a farm.

As we can see in the table, from 2019 to 2020, there has been a favourable trend that invites optimism in both figures for production and consumption. Thus, in 2020, production increased by 1% to 13,61 million tonnes. When it comes to consumption, it rose from 11,83 million tonnes to 12,01 million tonnes, which in per capita terms translates into 23,6 kg in 2020.

However, following the UK’s exit from the European Union in 2019, there was a significant change in the positive trends that were being achieved in recent years.

The main poultry meat producers in the European Union include Poland (19% of total production), France (13% of total production), Spain and Germany (12% respectively). Together with Italy (10%), these countries account for 73% of total EU production in 2021 (DG AGRI EU Agricultural Outlook).

Spain
According to data from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, a total of 4,739 exploitation farms were registered for the poultry sector in Spain in 2020.

It’s important to highlight how these farms count with poultry exploitations as their main activity, accounting up to 41,32% of the total of 11,468 livestock production centres in Spain. The rest of centres can register poultry sector activities as secondary activity.

In this context, it is important to highlight how the Spanish poultry sector generated more than 2.3 billion euros to the national GDP, allowing 40,000 direct jobs.

Poultry in Spain also features a greater presence of individual workers (68,8%), reflecting how the sector is prominent of individual workers.

Besides, the average age of sector employees is 46.8 years, which implies that the Spanish poultry sector is the least aged of all agricultural sectors in the country, further away from 62 years average.

Taking a look at the data discussed, it is clearly stated how important the European poultry sector is to provide direct and indirect employment for thousands of people in the European Union. The workforce of the sector covers the whole production chain, involving male and female workers and boosts employment in rural areas. All these facts work together as part of the social aspect of sustainability in the European Poultry sector.

Promotion programme to inform about the Sustainable European Poultry Sector

SUST EU POULTRY is a two-year promotion campaign supported by the European Commission and launched by three national poultry associations (from Germany, France and Spain) and their European umbrella association (from Germany, France and Spain) with the main goal of raising awareness among European consumers and professionals about the sustainability of the poultry sector and a product of great quality.

You can also learn more about sustainability of the sector by downloading our press kit here.

Additional information

PRESS CONTACT

Ana María Martín

ATLAS MARKETING STUDIO

internacional@atlasmarketingstudio.com

CONTACT AVEC

Federica Chiarella

AVEC SECRETARIAT

fc@avec-poultry.eu

The content of the present advertising solely represents the opinion of the author and is the exclusive responsibility of the same.

The European Commission assumes no responsibility for the use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Articles

What data tell us

What data tell us

What is the current situation of the poultry sector in the European Union? How many kilograms of poultry meat do Europeans consume? What are the top 3 poultry producers in the EU? And top 3 in consumption? Which are the poultry species produced in the EU? Has the UK’s exit from the EU had a major impact on the sector’s figures? Do you want to find out the answer to these questions? Then keep reading!

In this article we will try to answer all these questions using official data provided by the European Commission in collaboration with various international bodies.

Image by Atlas Marketing Studio

To begin with, let’s take an overview of the current situation in the sector and its key figures. The following table summarises some of the main indicators from 2016 to 2020:

EU28: Balance sheet for poultry meat (‘000 tons carcass weight)

	2016	2017	2018	2019 EU27	2020 EU27
Gross indigenous production	14.503	14.564	15.260	13.478	13.610
Export of meat	1.548	1.532	1.593	2.487	2.337
Import of meat	882	789	802	850	748
Consumption	13.829	13.817	14.462	11.834	12.016
Consumption per capita, kg	23,8	23,7	24,8	23,3	23,6
Self-suffiency, %	104,9	105,5	105,5	113,9	113,3

Source: EU Commission.

However, following the UK’s exit from the European Union in 2019, there was a significant change in the positive trends that were being achieved in recent years.

EU 27 production of poultry meat by type

Source: EC Europa

From the point of view of the type of poultry produced in the EU, 82% of the European poultry production is made up of broilers, 14% of the total production belongs to turkey, 3% to duck and 1% to other species (ducks, guinea fowls, quails).

EU 27 production of poultry meat by type

Source: MEG to Eurostat and national statistics.

This graph shows the evolution of poultry meat exports including the UK. As can be seen, in 2020 exports totalled 1,68 million tonnes, confirming an upward trend since 2016.

However, since the UK’s exit from the EU, poultry meat exports were reduced to 1,52 million tonnes in 2021. Despite this, the EU remains the world’s third largest exporter behind the United States and Brazil (Eurostat).

Major poultry meat exporters in the EU include the Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Germany, France and Spain.

Finally, some of the most important EU export destinations outside the EU are the UK, Ghana, Ukraine, Cuba and Benin. From January to March 2022, European poultry meat exports to these countries totalled 116,5 thousand, 41,69 thousand, 26,83 thousand, 18,28 thousand and 16,59 thousand tonnes respectively (Eurostat).

According to the outlook issued by the Commission on trends in the agri-food sector in the European Union, poultry is the only meat category whose production has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic and the only one expected to grow between 2020 and 2030. Poultry meat consumption in the EU is expected to reach 24.6 kg per capita in 2030 (+1.2 kg compared to 2020), as poultry is seen as an affordable and high value source of protein.

In summary, the European poultry sector has positive current and future trends in terms of production, consumption and exports. Sustainability will play a key role in purchasing decisions, so it is vital to convey to consumers the constant contribution to environmental, social and economic sustainability, in line with the European Farm to Fork and Green Deal strategies. This proves how European poultry is your smart purchasing choice, as well as sustainably good for you and for the planet.