Hartpury Digital Innovation Farm was delighted to welcome Women in Poultry Production (WIPP) to Hartpury University on 8 October, bringing together women from across the poultry sector to connect, share experiences and celebrate their contribution to the industry.
Hosted at Hartpury’s Agri-Tech Centre, the event provided an opportunity for women working across poultry production, agriculture, technology and innovation to exchange ideas and explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of the sector.
Discussions focused on UK poultry policy and the challenges facing the industry as it continues to compete within the global commodity market.
The event was particularly timely, taking place during the United Nations' International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 (IYWF 2026), which recognises and celebrates the essential role women play across global agrifood systems.
The event was organised by Hannah Cargill, Chair of Women in Poultry Production, who brings more than a decade of experience across the poultry industry. Her career has spanned broiler production, grand grandparent (GGP) hatcheries and laying, technical support, and research and development.
Alongside her role as Contract Production Manager at Avara Foods, Hannah remains committed to developing the Women in Poultry Production network and supporting women working across the industry.
Hannah said: “It was fantastic to hear from two influential voices in poultry policy and to engage in discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing our sector. We are thankful to Hartpury University for their warm hospitality and for providing such an exceptional venue in the Agri-Tech Centre.”
The event welcomed two influential speakers from the poultry industry, who shared their expertise and perspectives on the challenges, opportunities and future direction of the sector.
Máire Burnett, Technical Director at the British Poultry Council, shared insights from her extensive experience within the UK poultry industry.
Máire said: “I was very pleased to meet such an engaging group of young women. What a great event and what a great initiative the Women in Poultry Production is. I hope to see many of them become the future leaders of the British poultry industry.”
Birthe Steenburg, Secretary General at AVEC, brought an international perspective, sharing insights into the wider European poultry industry and the importance of women's voices in shaping its future.
Birthe added: “I am really impressed by the initiative to bring together young women from across the British poultry sector. I would love to see this replicated in many other European countries, as I strongly believe that women have an important role to play in shaping the communication and storytelling around our sector.”
Together, their contributions reinforced the importance of knowledge sharing, professional development and collaboration in creating opportunities for women across the poultry sector.
Learn more about upcoming events for 2026/27 here.
Learn more about partnership opportunities at the Digital Innovation Farm here.
