NOT many people, apart from those in the commercial poultry industry, will know the name of John Kirkpatrick. However, when I tell you he was the man who came to the aid of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall when his broiler unit "experiment" set up for the Channel 4 "Hugh's Chicken Run" programmes needed a manager, he will be much more recognisable.

A fourth generation farmer from Northern Ireland, John grew up among poultry, eventually working in broiler production and then becoming a consultant to the industry. He first met up with Hugh about a year before the programmes were filmed, when more than 100 people attended a meeting at Lyme Regis to discuss the ethics of meat production in the UK.

"We did agree on quite a number of issues, such as intensive stocking densities versus Freedom Food stocking rates," said John. "There is serious pressure being put on poultry producers by the supermarkets and consumers to deliver a product which, in my opinion, is totally unsustainable. Both Hugh and I wanted to improve the system but still leave a premium for farmers and processors. Then I received a call asking if I would help organise and manage the broiler unit in Hugh's programmes."

The challenge was enormous because the building available was an old layer unit, with facilities that needed to be adapted to suit the system of broiler production.

"We worked hard on the project and what was shown in the television programmes was representative of both standard and free-range broiler production."

Welfare issues surrounding intensive production against the higher welfare of the free-range unit were highlighted, showing leg problems as the most common. In a recent report it has been suggested that such welfare problems arise from the genetic makeup of the birds, being bred to put on weight so rapidly. John says this is only part of the story.

"Yes, I agree that this has been a problem in the past and continues to be one of the major issues that we as an industry face. However, with good stockmanship and with the continued efforts by the breeding companies to reduce levels of lameness in birds, this in the long term will hopefully see a reduction overall in leg culls within the sector."

But genetics and stockmanship aside, if the end product costs more the consumer may choose to buy other alternatives.

"We can produce higher welfare birds but there has to be a market for them and there has to be a decent margin for producers and the processors. The bottom line is that if consumers want the birds to live a better life they are going to have to pay for it."

No doubt some consumers will and the growth in free-range endorses this belief. John advises poultry producers on free-range and organic production as well as intensive and has set up his own business the Traditional Meat Marketing Company Ltd, producing Highland and Galloway beef, Lleyn, Suffolk and Hampshire Down lamb and free-range poultry. Various poultry breeds have been trialled at Harper Adams University College but a suitable breed has been difficult to find.

"The problem is that many of the pure breeds are now so far down the exhibition route that their ability to develop meat has been lost. We have tried Ixworth, Light Sussex, Rhode Island Red and Indian Game but are struggling with fertility and growth rate. However, we are now looking at a Sasso bird which appears to be more suitable for the free-range market. The traditional breeds would be more expensive for the consumer because of the slower growth rate but there are butchers wanting them to supply this market."

John would like to see groups of smallholders coming together, with chicks provided, to collectively produce 100 birds a week for his processing unit and the idea is currently being piloted in Scotland "This is suited to smaller producers because smaller colonies of birds seem to perform well in this environment," added John.

"There is a massive opportunity out there. The biggest challenge we have at the moment is producing something which is traditional and unique but still profitable. We are in the process of developing our flock and hope to have a finished product on the shelves by the summer."