Chicken Meat

Chicken meat is Australia’s most consumed source of meat-based protein. With the lowest environmental footprint of all meats, and as the least expensive form of meat protein, Australian chicken is loved for its convenience, affordability, and versatility. The AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program invests in research, development and extension to promote industry productivity, profitability and sustainability.

Explore popular chicken meat content

About the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program

Chicken Meat RD&E Plan

Industry Sustainability Framework

The Consortium (Chicken Nutrition, Gut Health and Environment)

Chicken Meat Info & Resources

Industry Blueprint

Latest news and events

Chicken Meat

Building resilience from the ground up: Amelia Sofra named 2026 Gary Sansom Scholar

Emerging animal welfare researcher Amelia Sofra has been named the 2026 AgriFutures Gary Sansom Scholarship recipient, with her PhD research focused on advancing management approaches that support the welfare, productivity and sustainability of Australia’s chicken meat industry.

3 min read

Chickens eating from a red and yellow automatic feeder inside a large poultry barn with straw-covered floor and blurred chickens in the background.

CHICKEN MEAT / 04.05.26

Three new research projects to support the future of Australia’s chicken meat industry

AgriFutures Australia is investing in three new research projects that will support the Australian chicken meat industry to meet current and future challenges – strengthening sustainability, animal welfare, biosecurity and consumer confidence. The projects focus on some of the industry’s most important priorities, including reducing environmental impacts, improving bird welfare, monitoring antimicrobial resistance, supporting circular economy solutions and developing practical, science-based welfare standards. Together, these projects will deliver practical tools, trusted data and clear guidance to help the chicken meat industry continue to produce affordable, high-quality protein while responding to changing community, market and regulatory expectations.

3 min read

2025 AgriFutures Gary Sansom scholar Shay Sadr is pictured in a University of Sydney shirt

CHICKEN MEAT / 10.02.26

Aussie-grown legumes in chicken meat diets could boost industry resilience and food security

the 2025 AgriFutures Gary Sansom scholar, Shay Sadr’s research into Australian-grown legumes for use in broiler (meat) chicken diets is paving the way for a more sustainable chicken meat industry – cutting reliance on imported soybean meal without reducing productivity or bird health.

5 min read

A large group of young broiler chickens in a commercial poultry shed, standing and resting on a bed of litter. Feeding and drinking lines run through the shed, with chicks gathered around the automated feeders and drinkers.

CHICKEN MEAT / 09.02.26

Stronger control, lower costs — bringing commercial biopesticide for lesser mealworm within reach

Lesser mealworm – also known as darkling or litterbeetle – is one of the most persistent and damaging pests in Australian chicken-meat production. Increasing insecticide resistance and limited control options has made lesser mealworm difficult and expensive to control, prompting the search for new solutions.

4 min read

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About the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program

The AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program invests in research, development and extension (RD&E) that improves the sustainability, productivity and viability of the Australian chicken meat industry. The Program guides investment across five priority areas to deliver RD&E outcomes to benefit the industry.

To address the issues and opportunities facing the industry, and deliver the overarching vision of the Program to grow the long-term prosperity of the Australian chicken meat industry, the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program RD&E Plan 2022-2027 has been developed. The Plan has five priority areas, each with its own objectives, strategies and RD&E activities:

Improving environmental and sustainability outcomes
Enhancing chicken biosecurity, health and welfare
Contributing to efficient and secure chicken production systems
Ensuring the food safety of Australian chicken meat
Building people capability and a diverse and sustainable workforce.

The Plan identifies and balances the research, development and extension priorities and outcomes to promote industry productivity, profitability and sustainability.

Download the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program RD&E Plan 2022-2027

About your Levy

The Australian chicken meat industry operates under a statutory levy of 0.406 cents per meat chicken, paid by the hatchery. Of this, 0.195 cents per chick is allocated to research, development and extension (RD&E) to drive innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

Levies are collected under the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Acts and can fund biosecurity, residue testing and RD&E. For chicken meat, AgriFutures Australia invests the RD&E levy in line with the industry’s Strategic Plan and receives Commonwealth funding (up to 50c per dollar of eligible expenditure), along with third-party contributions.

Find out more about your levy
Learn more about how AgriFutures Australia is funded
View the Chicken Meat Annual Report Summary

Collaboration

A continued investment in chicken industry research will ensure chicken meat remains the most affordable and popular meat on the Australian domestic market. We are committed to working closely with all those involved in chicken meat production, including Advisory Panels and industry associations to identify research priorities and make investments which will have the greatest impact on the industry.

Learn about the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Advisory Panel
Visit Australian Chicken Meat Federation

Chicken Nutrition, Gut Health and Environment

The Sustainable Precision Feeding in Broiler Chickens in Australia project is a groundbreaking research consortium focused on securing the future of Australia’s poultry industry by advancing knowledge and publication in the field. It involves a global collaboration of eleven Australian and international universities, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF), and nine research organisations and project sponsors.

Learn more about the project

Training & Webinars

Webinars and resources

2024 Webinars & Resources

Training

Animal Welfare – Applications open

Biosecurity – Applications opening soon.

Contact

If you’re passionate about chicken meat research, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re a producer, researcher, or interested in being involved in the industry, reach out to AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program.

For project-related inquiries:

Sarika Pandya
Manager, Levied & Emerging Industries – Chicken Meat Program

0419 787 219

Stacey Gardiner
Coordinator, Levied & Emerging Industries – Chicken Meat Program

(02) 6923 6965

For industry and strategic issues and inquiries:

Amanda Olthof
Senior Manager, Levied & Emerging Industries – Chicken Meat Program

0499 384 037

FAQs about AgriFutures’ Chicken Meat Initiatives

AgriFutures focuses research, development and extension (RD&E) investment into chicken meat because it is a major Australian rural industry.

The chicken meat industry contributes $3.9 billion to the national economy, has an estimated retail value of over $8 billion and supports over 58,000 full-time-equivalent (FTE) jobs – AgriFutures’ investment in the chicken meat industry helps protect its long‑term viability by strengthening sustainability, biosecurity, animal health and welfare, production efficiency, food safety and workforce capability.

Under the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program RD&E Plan 2022–2027, investment targets the industry’s biggest priorities: improving environmental sustainability (including development of an Australian Chicken Meat Sustainability Framework), strengthening biosecurity, health and welfare (including early detection of exotic diseases), boosting efficient and secure production systems, safeguarding food safety, and building a diverse, capable workforce to support adoption across the supply chain.

^{*Per the Economic contribution of Australia’s chicken meat industry, 2022-23 report}

Lifecycle analysis of the Australian chicken meat industry confirms that commercial chicken meat production is the most environmentally sustainable production method for land-based animal protein.*

Despite already being the most sustainable land-based meat, the Australian chicken meat industry is actively working on determining meaningful and achievable ways to reduce our environmental impact and further improve the sustainability of the sector, with several initiatives already underway. In partnership with the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (the peak body for the chicken meat industry in Australia) AgriFutures has developed the Australian Chicken Meat Industry Sustainability Framework that demonstrates how the sector will support Australian agriculture’s transition to a lower-carbon future, and strengthen food security and economic resilience by monitoring, measuring and reporting industry performance against sustainability priorities going forward.

^{*Per the Economic contribution of Australia’s chicken meat industry, 2022-23 report}

The Australian chicken meat industry contributes significantly to the domestic economy, with an estimated gross value of production (2022-23) of $3.9 billion and an estimated retail value of over $8 billion.*

Australia’s domestic chicken meat industry provides jobs for more than 58,000 people (FTE), many in rural and regional communities, and has strong connections with the food service and retail sectors.

The industry provides the most popular source of animal protein to Australian consumers, with annual per capita consumption of chicken meat of approximately 50kg per person. 68 per cent of Australians eat chicken meat as part of a meal at least twice a week because of its affordability, popularity with the entire household, versatility and taste. The Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics (ABARES) forward estimate for poultry meat production in 2024-25 is 1.5 million tonnes or 1.5 billion kilograms.^

^{*Per the Economic contribution of Australia’s chicken meat industry, 2022-23 report}

^{^Per the Australian Chicken Meat Federation}

A great starting point is to read the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program RD&E Plan (2022-2027)
to understand the Program goal, priorities and what kinds of RD&E activities are funded. We also recommend learning about the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Advisory Panel.

For ongoing updates, Program updates and project outcomes are shared on the AgriFutures website, social media platforms and other official communications channels, with regular industry updates also sent via an opt-in AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program email subscription list.

For further industry information and resources, visit the Australian Chicken Meat Federation‘s website.

Funding opportunities

Chicken Meat

Environment and sustainability

National trends

Productivity

Explore popular chicken meat content

About the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program

Chicken Meat RD&E Plan

Industry Sustainability Framework

The Consortium (Chicken Nutrition, Gut Health and Environment)

Chicken Meat Info & Resources

Industry Blueprint

Latest news and events

Building resilience from the ground up: Amelia Sofra named 2026 Gary Sansom Scholar

Three new research projects to support the future of Australia’s chicken meat industry

Aussie-grown legumes in chicken meat diets could boost industry resilience and food security

Stronger control, lower costs — bringing commercial biopesticide for lesser mealworm within reach

Download chicken meat resources

Project snapshot: The impact of climate on sorghum utilisation in poultry diets

Report: The impact of climate on sorghum utilisation in poultry diets

Project snapshot: Evaluation of bioprotective bacteria to reduce Campylobacter on raw chicken meat at the end of primary processing

Fact sheets: Techno-economic assessment of emission-reduction pathways for the Australian chicken meat industry

Planning and Environment Guideline for Establishing Meat Chicken Farms - Second Edition Guide 2 Applicant Guide

Planning and Environment Guideline for Establishing Meat Chicken Farms - Second Edition Guide 1 Assessment Guide

Snapshot: Economic contribution of Australia’s chicken meat industry

Report: Economic contribution of Australia’s chicken meat industry

Project snapshot: Stability and safety of mycopesticides for lesser mealworm

Project snapshot: Techno-economic assessment of emission reduction pathways for the Australian chicken meat industry

Project snapshot: Optimising energy and amino acid levels in meat chickens' diet

Optimising energy and amino acid levels in meat chickens' diet

Learn about chicken meat projects

Scoping a shared feed ingredient database

Antimicrobial resistance in enteric commensals and pathogens in Australian meat

Development of alternative welfare standards for the Australian chicken meat industry

Improved management strategies for chicken health based on emerging threats

Alleviating Compounding Flocking Fears: Avian influenza & Migratory Birds

Update to the chicken meat industry planning and environment guideline

Trends in the environmental impacts of Australian chicken meat production

2025 Gary Sansom Scholarship - Mrs Vahideh Sadr

Further development of machine vision weighing and welfare assessment of chickens - Phase 3

National Retail Survey of raw poultry products

Poultry spoilage and interventions for shelf life and safety improvements

Poultry spoilage and interventions for shelf life and safety improvements

Integrated Investigation of Enterococcus cecorum Prevalence, Transmission Routes, Predisposition Factors, Pathogenic Mechanisms, and Mitigation Strategies in Broilers

Understanding the biosecurity risk posed by Australian-lineage H5 LPAIV and the potential genesis to highly pathogenic forms.

Using Behavioural Science to Enhance Extension and Adoption Outcomes for the Australian Chicken Meat Industry

Techno-economic emission reduction pathways for the Australian chicken meat industry

Economic impact and contribution of Australia's chicken meat industry

2024 Gary Sansom Scholarship - Mr Rebel Northey

PIX 2024 Sponsorship

National Pathogen Survey 2023

AgriFutures Chicken Meat Sustainability Framework

Development of improved diagnostics and pathotyping methods for IBDV in Australia

Building people capability and a diverse and sustainable workforce

Gary Sansom Scholarship 2023 - Mr Caleb Wellard

Stability and safety of mycopesticides for lesser mealworm

PIEFA Educational Materials for the Australian Chicken Meat Industry

Optimizing energy and amino acids levels in meat chickens’ diet

Farm trials for machine vision of chicken welfare

Managing Salmonella Enteritidis in the Australian Chicken Meat Industry

Evaluation of bioprotective bacteria to reduce Campylobacter on raw chicken meat at the end of primary processing

Chicken Producer and Processor Visitor Biosecurity Risk Assessment and Management

Mitigating on-farm antimicrobial resistance risks for livestock industries

Chicken Meat Industry Materiality Assessment

AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program - Articles of Interest

Using vocalisations to modify chicken behaviour

Comparative validation of Newcastle disease serology tests

The impact of climate on sorghum utilisation in poultry diets

Study of protein source and selected amino acids for gut integrity of chickens

Study of dominant Salmonella serovars in chicken meat industry and their role

Chicken Meat Research Articles of Interest

Effective stunning and slaughter for poultry training workshops

Age dependent energy and digestible amino acids of common Australian feedstuffs

Chicken Meat Articles and Publications of Interest

Water Security for the Chicken Meat Industry

Nutritional & Environmental Comparison of Chicken Meat and Alternative Proteins

Training and extension for the Chicken Meat Industry

Review of chicken meat processing for enteropathogen management

Risk assessment of alternative litter types

Best practice manual for managing litter