EP22: Women in Poultry – Building Careers, Community and Confidence

In this episode of the Poultry.Network Podcast, Tom Woolman and Jake Davies sit down with Emily Neate-Wynne (Evans Vanodine) and Kelly Anderson (Lohmann GB) to talk about careers, community and the fast-growing Women in Poultry initiative.

Both guests share how they “fell into” poultry – from family egg farms and weekend egg collecting to technical roles in biosecurity, pullets and sales. They reflect on why so many people stay in the sector once they arrive, and how varied the career paths can be.

The discussion then turns to the origins of Women in Poultry. What began as a dinner for ten women in May 2023 has quickly grown into a national network of more than 200 members, supported by sponsors including Aviagen, Lohmann GB and Premier Nutrition. Emily and Kelly explain how the group moved from a WhatsApp chat to a formal committee, with in-person workshops and online sessions.

They outline what the initiative is trying to achieve:
– creating a safe space to swap experience and contacts
– supporting women who can feel isolated in on-farm or field-based roles
– offering practical learning on topics such as gut health and mental health
– making events accessible around busy work and family lives

There’s also discussion of a recent online session with Herefordshire charity We Are Farming Minds, looking at mental health in agriculture from the partner’s perspective; how employers have responded to Women in Poultry; and the broader value of visible, structured support networks in retaining talent in the industry.

Finally, Emily and Kelly explain how to get involved, how membership works, and why the initiative is very deliberately open, non-clicky and not “anti-men” – with anyone in the sector welcome to engage, attend events, and support future activity.

A practical, people-focused conversation that underlines how much quiet work is being done to support the next generation of talent in UK poultry.

00:00 Intro
00:15 Introduction to Poultry Network Podcast
00:50 Meet Women in Poultry Group
02:23 Tell me a little bit about your journey, Kelly, so far.
04:06 Women in Poultry Initiative Overview
06:48 Community Growth and Networking Benefits
09:53 How has your involvement in Women in Poultry impacted your career and personal development?
13:02 Do you think it's easy for people working on farms to attend networking events?
15:03 How do you get involved in the scheme and what are the membership fees?
18:27 Can you tell us more about Hannah and her contributions to the team?
19:45 Outro