and opportunities for the UK broiler industry

THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE UK BROILER INDUSTRY

PATRICK HOOK 2015 NUFFIELD SCHOLAR

I was managing our Hatchery at Cote in Oxfordshire, hatching 2 million chicks a week and recently married when I applied for my Nuffield Scholarship in 2014.

I knew several Nuffield Scholars and really wanted to get the opportunity to gain experience and immerse myself in the poultry industry in other Countries, represent myself outside the family business and gain and share knowledge and experiences. Furthermore the value of meeting people, seeing their farms and businesses first hand, is an invaluable experience. Not having enough time to do a Nuffield Scholarship is by far the biggest reason people state to me of why they haven’t applied. Managing the time away is challenging but extremely rewarding and being away from the day to day absolutely adds to the whole experience! Nuffield really helped develop my confidence and gave me a platform outside the family business to represent the poultry industry. In addition it gave me invaluable first-hand experience of what challenges and opportunities people, farms and industries were experiencing across the world.

The network of people I met will stay with me for life and I am still in regular contact with the people I have met; whether socially or to get advice to see if they are seeing similar issues in the market to us.

I have since become a Production and Sales Director for the family business. Which involves overseeing the rearing, breeder and hatchery operations and planning, which includes 3 million breeders a year and 10 million chicks a week and in addition overseeing our external customers. My personal success has to be the growth of my family! My son Joseph was born just before my last trip to Australia in 2016, and since then Grace and I have welcomed Evie, 4, Robert, 3 and Dominic 5 months! So my solution to the future labour problems has been partly resolved!

I have really enjoyed being part of several industry committees and groups and bringing first hand experiences from my Nuffield Scholarship to help steer decisions and strategies that will affect our industry in the future.

In 2019 I received the British Poultry Council MidCareer Award for long and excellent service to the industry and recognition of the potential of my future in the industry. We have a successful apprenticeship and placement scheme and work with Agricultural Colleges across the UK to help attract, develop and retain the next generation within the poultry industry. In addition we support the Farming Community Network who are an invaluable life line to our business when we need to support members of our team who are in need. I always hope that, by sharing my experiences I will inspire others to apply; the Nuffield Scholarship is definitely a journey that I hope will continue for many years to come.