{"id":253441,"date":"2026-02-27T12:08:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T11:08:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ew-nutrition.com\/report-lessons-2025\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T12:30:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T11:30:11","slug":"report-lessons-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ew-nutrition.com\/en-uk\/report-lessons-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The lessons of 2025 for poultry and feed producers"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Ilinca Anghelescu<\/strong>, Global Director Marketing & Communications, EW Nutrition<\/em><\/p>\n

2025 was a year defined by four converging forces for the global feed and animal production industry: an unprecedented HPAI crisis that cost American consumers alone $14.5 billion extra in egg expenditures; historic record corn production driving feed ingredient prices lower; a highly disruptive US tariff regime that reshuffled global trade flows for soybeans, corn, chicken, and pork; and accelerating regulatory pressure on antimicrobial use across Europe and globally.<\/p>\n

The strategic imperatives from 2025 are clear: biosecurity investment is no longer optional, ingredient price volatility demands agile procurement strategies, trade compliance is a weekly operational concern, and antibiotic-free production transitions require credible, phased plans now.<\/p>\n

KEY METRIC: Global chicken meat production reached approximately 105 million MT in 2025 (+2%), even as egg production suffered severely. The global feed market is valued at $542 billion in 2025, growing at 3.3% CAGR. Corn hit record production of 17 billion bushels in the US alone \u2013 the highest since 1936 in terms of harvested area.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CHAPTER 1: HPAI & DISEASE LANDSCAPE\u00a0<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.1\u00a0 The Ongoing H5N1 Crisis \u2013 Scale & Impact<\/h2>\n

The H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continued to dominate animal health headlines in 2025. Since its reemergence in February 2022, the US outbreak alone has resulted in the confirmed loss of over 175 million birds across 1,700+ flocks \u2013 the costliest poultry disease event in recorded history.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Metric<\/strong><\/td>\nData Point<\/strong><\/td>\nSource<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Total US birds affected (2022\u20132025)<\/td>\n175+ million<\/td>\nUSDA APHIS, May 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
US flocks confirmed positive<\/td>\n1,704+<\/td>\nUSDA APHIS, May 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Proportion of affected birds: layers<\/td>\n75%<\/td>\nUSDA \/ Congressional Research Service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
US egg layer flock deficit vs. 2022<\/td>\n\u20138% fewer birds<\/td>\nCoBank \/ USDA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Consumer egg overspend (May 2024\u2013Apr 2025)<\/td>\n$14.5 billion extra<\/td>\nInnovate Animal Ag analysis<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Peak US retail egg price<\/td>\n$6.23\/dozen (March 2025)<\/td>\nBLS \/ USDA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HPAI-related US taxpayer response costs<\/td>\n$1.8 billion+<\/td>\nInnovate Animal Ag<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Global HPAI mammal outbreaks (2024)<\/td>\n1,022 (vs. 459 in 2023)<\/td>\nWOAH 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Countries self-declaring HPAI freedom (May 2025)<\/td>\n25<\/td>\nWOAH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.2\u00a0 2025-Specific Developments<\/h2>\n

United States: Early-Year Severity, Policy Response<\/strong><\/h6>\n

The first six weeks of 2025 saw 28 million layers depopulated \u2013 the worst start to any calendar year on record. Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri bore the brunt. The USDA launched a five-pronged approach in February 2025 including:<\/p>\n