John Cooper, Alltech’s poultry business manager, has been awarded the coveted title of poultry supply chain champion at the British Poultry Awards, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the industry.

The man from Church Stretton received the prestigious award at a ceremony held in London with his work on helping the industry tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) being highly commended by the judges.

Over the last five years at Alltech, Mr Cooper has worked closely with both poultry meat and egg producers, and the supply chain, to develop and deliver practical solutions to the challenges faced.

With AMR a key area of focus, he has been an advisor in the development of Alltech’s Antibiotic Reduction Programme, working collaboratively with key leaders in Alltech’s global network and the UK poultry sector to deliver the best possible on-farm nutritional solutions.

Following his win, Mr Cooper, who has worked within the sector for over 23 years, said he was humbled to receive the accolade and is very proud of the fact that the UK is leading the way in reducing antibiotic usage.

“I’m incredibly passionate about the poultry industry and determined that the sector continues to progress and prosper in the face of challenges. In my role at Alltech, I can support poultry producers with advanced nutritional technologies and it’s highly rewarding to be able to aid progression both at farm level and within the supply chain.”

Looking ahead to the future, Mr Cooper said he is excited to continue his work with Alltech in the UK and further afield in Europe.

“I see the UK poultry industry as the best in the world and while we can constantly strive to improve ourselves, I feel we have a responsibility as an industry, and as a company at Alltech, to also help other countries who may not be as advanced, reach their targets.”