The poultry sector has never stood still. It continues to adapt, innovate and endure in the face of disease risk, regulatory pressure, labour challenges and tight margins. Yet behind every system, standard and safeguard are people – farm managers, teams and businesses making hundreds of decisions every day to keep birds healthy, operations moving and food on shelves. 
That’s why recognising excellence on farm still matters.
This year, Livetec is proud to sponsor the Farmers Weekly Poultry Farmer of the Year Award – not as a marketing gesture, but as a conscious decision to give something back to a sector that has shaped who we are.
Learning from the sector we serve
For the past 15 years, Livetec has worked alongside poultry producers across the UK and internationally – during routine planning, periods of uncertainty, and some of the most challenging disease outbreaks the industry has faced.
In that time, we’ve supported more than 350 depopulations on farm, helping businesses respond quickly, safely and compliantly when the worst has happened. We’ve seen first-hand the pressure that disease places not just on birds, but on people – and the resilience, professionalism and leadership it takes to manage through those moments.
But we’ve also learned that the strongest outcomes rarely come from response alone. They come from planning ahead, learning from experience, sharing insight, and continuously raising standards – often led by producers themselves.
A moment to turn the spotlight outward
In 2025, Livetec was fortunate to be recognised through a number of industry awards. While we’re proud of that recognition, it also prompted an important reflection.
Many of the achievements we were recognised for were not ours alone. They were the result of close collaboration with producers, vets, processors, industry bodies and regulators – people who challenge us, inform our product development, and push us to do better.
As we mark 15 years in business, it felt like the right moment to turn the spotlight outward – to recognise those on farm who are setting standards, leading teams and quietly driving progress across the sector.
Why Poultry Farmer of the Year?
The Poultry Farmer of the Year category represents much more than output or efficiency. It reflects leadership, consistency and decision-making – the less visible disciplines that underpin long-term success.
From our perspective, excellence on farm often shows up in:
- Thoughtful planning and preparedness
- Strong biosecurity culture, embedded in everyday behaviour
- Investment in people, training and accountability
- A willingness to adapt and learn as conditions change
These are the same principles that underpin effective disease prevention and business resilience, and they align closely with how we work with producers year-round.
Supporting the sector beyond crisis
Livetec is often best known for its role during outbreaks. That work remains critical, and we continue to invest heavily in ensuring the industry is supported when rapid, effective response is needed.
But our role has evolved.
In recent years, we’ve expanded our focus to help producers spot risk earlier, plan more effectively and make confident decisions long before a crisis unfolds. The launch of our digital platform, Livestock Protect, reflects that shift – connecting data, planning tools and expert insight to support preparedness, prevention and long-term resilience.
Equally important has been our role in bringing people together sharing insight across the industry, supporting training and CPD, and creating space for better conversations about risk, responsibility and readiness.
Sponsoring Poultry Farmer of the Year is a natural extension of that commitment.
Celebrating leadership, building confidence
Awards matter because they tell stories. They give space to recognise leadership that might otherwise go unnoticed, and they help build confidence in a sector that too often finds itself under scrutiny rather than celebration.
By supporting this award, we want to help amplify positive examples of what good looks like on farm, not as a benchmark to compete against, but as inspiration to learn from.
Looking ahead
The future of poultry production will demand even greater collaboration, foresight and adaptability. Disease risk will continue to evolve. Technology will play a growing role. But the foundations of success will remain firmly rooted in people and practice on farm.
We’re proud to support Farmers Weekly and the Poultry Farmer of the Year Award, and we look forward to congratulating all those recognised at the awards later this year.
