Editor’s Comment
Producing more while
impacting less, a few thoughts
Producing more with a lower impact
is something that few industries can
a;ord to ignore these days, and the
poultry industry is no exception.
In the UK, the National Farmers
Union is currently reviewing the
poultry industry’s strengths, and
possible weakness, to see how the
sector can move forward and increase
its corporate social responsibility.
A whole host of activities are up
for consideration and the outcome
could provide a valuable reference for
producers in other countries.
Energy
Amongst key areas is renewable
energy and energy e;ciency.
While the NFU feels that producers
in the UK can feel proud of their
achievements, it notes that there may
further opportunities for reducing
the sector’s use of fossil fuels.
The NFU is lobbying the UK
government for attractive Renewable
Heat Incentives, RHIs, so that combined
heat and power (CHP) plants can
be built on farms. For broiler units a
financial and environmental cost is
energy consumption for brooding
chicks and maintaining temperatures
to ventilate birds. Therefore, interest
in combined heat and power boilers,
potentially running on poultry litter
should be the way forward, it argues.
Two avenues for NFU lobbying include
favourable RHIs and taking poultry litter
out of waste so that waste incineration
directive controls do not apply.
When designing and building
new farms, producers should look to
new technologies to minimize their
environmental, and maximize their
financial e;ciency, through the use
of renewable energy and energy
e;ciency.
making their mark
Where renewable energy is not
available, producers should consider
systems that could be converted
to renewable energy later. For
instance, indirect heat sources, such
as hot water radiators, or under floor
heating using a conventional boiler,
could be upgraded to a renewable
energy or CHP boiler in the future. □
EDITOR’S FOCUS - a regular look at industry key players
Codex Alimentarius
The Codex Alimentarius, or food code, has become the global
reference point for consumers, food producers and processors,
national food control agencies and the international food trade.
The Codex Alimenarius system offers a unique opportunity
for all countries to join the international community in
formulating and harmonizing food standards and ensuring
their global implementation. It also allows them a role in
the development of codes governing hygienic processing
practices and recommendations relating to compliance
with those standards. In addition to food, since the 1990s
Codex has also been active in the area of animal feed.
The Codex Alimentarius is a collection of standards,
codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations.
Some of these texts are very general, and some are
very specific. Some deal with detailed requirements
related to a food or group of foods. Others deal
with the operation and management of production
processes or the operation of government regulatory
systems for food safety and consumer protection.
