INTERVIEW ▶▶▶


to us from Unaitalia, the Italian Poultry Association. Nicolò started with us on 1 January 2020 and his solid industry background has already proven to be very valuable as our industry works through the issues with COVID-19.


Please tell us about the IPC efforts relating to antimicrobi- al awareness? IPC recognises that antibiotic resistance is a serious public health concern. My best response is the IPC’s formal position which states that we recognise that animal antibiotics must be used re- sponsibly to minimise animal agriculture’s potential contribution and that’s why we’ve made a commitment to the responsible use and stewardship of antibiotics. As part of this commitment, we will collectively continue to reduce the need for antibiotics through good management practices, such as the use of vaccines, proper nutrition, good ventilation, hygiene and appropriate hous- ing. But IPC also recognises that there are times when antibiotic use is the responsible choice in order to prevent and relieve ani- mal suffering. I am proud of the work done by our members to produce our principles and position statement. Our 11-page document is available on the IPC website.


“Obviously the COVID-19 pandemic needs our full attention, there are


certainly lessons we can learn from this crisis”


What three things should the global poultrymeat industry be most focused on right now and why? Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic is one. I am hopeful that we will be able to hold our next conference in October and, if we can, this will certainly feature. Similar to what we learned in Canada from our experience with avian influenza, we need to have a full ‘lessons learned’ session and develop protocols for dealing with a recurrence or a similar situation in the future. We are well placed to facilitate that with members from every region of the world representing almost 90% of the world’s poultry production. I already mentioned our need to champion the SDGs we have committed to. We have a good story to tell consumers regarding the sustainability of our industry and we need to tell it. But more importantly, we need to commit to improvements in all areas of sustainability. These include our environmental footprint, animal health and welfare, worker health and welfare, food security and food safety. Lastly, our industry needs to understand the alternative protein trends and determine our best course of action. Given my


8 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 4, 2020


position, I am fortunate to have a clear view of our industry and of consumer trends in many different parts of the world. This trend is quite different in different countries. I know it is easy to think of the rise of alternative proteins as a threat to our industry and clearly they could be, but I think they could be an opportunity as well. Consumers are focusing on protein and poultry products are very well-positioned to meet their needs. In all three of these areas it really comes down to effective com- munication: internally to the industry around the world and externally to government bodies and consumers.


How has COVID-19 affected the global poultry industry thus far and what possible future consequences do you envisage? We are in contact with our member countries and our associate members which include poultry processors, customers and sup- pliers of genetics, poultry health products, packaging and distri- bution. They are sharing their experience with us which we then share with our other members. They continue to advise us of any issues they are encountering. As for issues so far encountered where we can make a difference, we have advocated on their behalf with international organisa- tions. A recent example was our intervention with the OIE, FAO and WTO to ask them to urge for the continuation of airfreight for critical supplies, notably in our case, primary genetics in the form of day-old chicks and hatching eggs. As you can imagine there are many issues arising in every country but I am happy to report that as far as I know, all countries have agreed that the production of food, including poultrymeat, is a critical priority. Keeping the supply chains moving is difficult but our members and the government authorities in every country have the same goal.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44