James Hook, managing director of UK hatchery business P D Hook, has been named the British Poultry Council/BOCM Pauls Poultry Man of the Year 2010.
The new chairman of the BPC, John Reed, presented Hook with his award at recent Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) and referred to the “massive contribution that he has made to the British chicken industry”.
“For the last 20 years, he has grown the business phenomenally into what we see today,” explained Reed. “His company hatches almost 6m chicks a week and grows around 3.5m meat chickens a week in a joint venture operation.
“But we are recognising James Hook not so much because of the size of the company, but more for his unfailing commitment and support of British chicken and for his strong involvement in the wider poultry industry.”
This included his support and encouragement of young people into the industry through training and working directly with agricultural colleges.