Sustainable and cost effective production at Beech Farm

United Kingdom-At our global partner event 2024, JF Mckenna from Ireland received the Golden Egg Award for the Beech Farm project, part of the Moy Park group in the UK. In a conversation with Brian Moxon, sales manager at JF McKenna, we reflect on what makes this broiler project truly remarkable.

Beech Farm

This innovative poultry farm, situated in Lincolnshire England, include six houses that grow higher welfare chickens at reduced stocking densities. Beech Farm represents a significant investment above a modern standard farm. Designed and built as "the farm of the future" for the Moy Park group. It underwent a year-long construction and was finalized in 2023. The groundbreaking farm sets new standards for sustainable and cost-effective chicken production. Beech Farm is leading the way as the first farm in the UK to achieve a 100% reduction in energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Brian Moxon explains: “ Sustainability is a fundamental pillar of this project. The farm employs various technologies to achieve net-zero emissions, including ground source heat pumps for heating, ECO Units to minimize overall heat consumption, and solar technology. While I believe many people are familiar with these technologies, this project demonstrates how the customer explored the potential for integrating them effectively."

ECO Units 

ECO Units are the perfect solutions for minimum ventilation in this poultry house. Especially during colder weather conditions, it results in a better environment, improved litter quality and significant energy savings. The ECO Units heat exchangers heat up fresh air from outside with warm air taken from inside the poultry house.

Guiding Example

Beech Farm marks a groundbreaking achievement in the poultry industry – through carefully designed innovations, they have achieved a complete elimination of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in a remarkable reduction of 900 tonnes of CO2 annually. This is set to be a game-changer for the industry. The customer has now opened Beech Farm for tours, shining as a guiding example for net-zero poultry farming.

Brian Moxon: We are very proud that this project has received the prestigious Golden Egg Award. This recognition is not only a win for us but also marks a significant milestone in the UK poultry industry. It is a project where we can bring out farmers and partners to show them what is achievable. We appreciate the trust placed in us by our customer, Moy Park. And value the collaboration we've built together with Moy Park and Clarke Group Construction who have worked with us to realise this project”