2 Sisters Food Group took decisions that were “monstrous” to its business to protect farmers

12-May-2022 - Last updated on 13-May-2022 at 14:23 GMT

Davies: 'We took some decisions which were monstrous to our business and our joint farming operation to make sure we protected bird welfare through Covid'

2 Sisters Food Group took decisions that were “monstrous” to its business through the Covid-19 pandemic but “did the right thing”, agriculture director Nick Davies has revealed.

Speaking at the Pig & Poultry Fair at Stoneleigh, in Warwickshire, this week he outlined his vision for the poultry sector to enable it to overcome the current challenges. He said that the company that produces 6.2m birds a week had to make some “difficult” decisions to protect its farmers.

He highlighted that while the struggle of some industries was recognised by the Government farmers were not.

“We took some pain. We took some decisions which were monstrous to our business and our joint farming operation to make sure we protected bird welfare through Covid,” he said.

“We took the decisions early to protect the bird welfare and protect the security of our birds, our farms and our operations going forward.”

Hindsight

He added that with hindsight the company could have acted quicker at times “but they did the right thing.”

He also highlighted that the company needs to be adaptable to change with the times and to tackle the challenges of sustainability and its carbon footprint.

“There are challenges in respect of how do we face the climate when growing times are getting longer, costs are going up, cereals are going up and so forth,” he added.

“Then we have the Greta affect and Gen Z generation wanting more information driven by transparency, financial costs and ultimately investors like we have wanting to know how we are going to tackle climate change as a business,” Davies said.

One of the challenges faced by the business is to monitor the carbon footprint of its production tiers in order to react to Scope 3.

“Are we where we want to be? Are we there with a full understanding of where we can reduce it further? No. But are we getting there, yes,” he admitted.

Stable

He said that the industry needed better support from the Government including at ports where the export rules have been a challenge. He also said there needed to be help with rising inflation and the cost of living impact.

“We need a stable, affordable, high protein poultry offer that consumers continue to trust and afford,” he said.

“I don’t believe that subsidising meat to make meat cheap is right. I have been on that drug in the beef and sheep industry and it is a hard drug to come off when you are on it. I don’t believe that is the way but we are 100% committed to work with government on ways and initiatives.”