On the flat plains of central Poland, where densely packed poultry sheds crowd the landscape, the future of Europe’s meat industry hums to the rhythm of millions of broiler chickens.
Inside, birds bred to grow at record speed shuffle under the constant glow of artificial light, each one a copy of the last. They live fast, grow faster and end their lives in industrial kill lines — destined for export to Germany, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
Chicken isn’t just dinner. Here — and across much of the world — it’s a policy choice.
From Brussels to Brasília, policymakers have long championed poultry as a “transition meat” — a pragmatic alternative to climate-intensive beef. Chicken is lower-emissions; relatively affordable; scalable across global markets; and often promoted as a leaner, lower-fat option compared with pork or beef. In political shorthand: the least-worst option.
