Context

Bio Poultree S.L. was founded in 2019 in Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) as a family initiative, with the conviction that it was possible to produce beef and chicken regeneratively, guaranteeing real standards of animal welfare and high quality.

The project emerged in response to several key challenges: on the one hand, more and more consumers demand responsibly produced food with a positive impact on the land and animals; on the other, traditional agricultural and livestock systems face structural problems such as low profitability, dependence on external inputs and farm abandonment, which exacerbates rural depopulation. Added to this is the environmental degradation caused by these conventional systems, with increasingly eroded soils, loss of biodiversity, and low carbon sequestration capacity.

Faced with this reality, Bio Poultree chose to apply holistic management principles and rotational grazing to regenerate soils and restore ecosystems. In cattle, it uses virtual fencing with GPS collars to optimise the use of pastures and mountain areas. For chickens, it uses portable buildings that allow birds to be moved daily, providing natural fertilisation and avoiding overexploitation. Furthermore, due to its innovative nature, the company has taken on the responsibility of conducting studies, training and consulting for other farms and farmers, enabling this model to be extended to different regions and species.

Since the beginning of the farm’s operations in 2019, they have invested EUR 689 347 of their own funds. Today, with a team of nine people, Bio Poultree demonstrates that regenerating ecosystems and creating rural employment is both possible and profitable.

Objectives

The company’s main objectives have always been to regenerate degraded soils and increase the biodiversity of pastures and plots, while improving animal welfare through respectful extensive management and regenerative practices, as well as contributing to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration.

The knock-on effect of these aims is that, once achieved, they reduce dependence on external inputs and optimise the use of forage resources, and consolidate a quality meat production model with a positive environmental impact.

As local producers, the company is also looking to maintain and create employment in rural areas and to serve as an inspiring example for other producers interested in the transition to regenerative livestock farming.

Activities

Bio Poultree S.L. was founded in 2019 with a team of two people. The first tasks for the company were to define a regenerative livestock approach for 100% grass-fed cattle and rotationally grazed chickens, and to create an online platform from scratch for direct sales.

Once those were in hand, the employees turned their attention to the construction of the basic infrastructure required to house 800 chickens and 25 cows, with the design and manufacture of portable poultry pens and rotational grazing planning.

The next step was the implementation of innovative technologies which were of crucial importance to the project, namely the implementation of virtual fencing with GPS collars for cattle, optimising pasture use and reducing fixed fencing costs.

Once these were in place, the system was expanded and scaled. This involved progressive livestock growth to 9 000 birds and 125 cows, the incorporation of new plots under regenerative management, and planned rotation. The team was also expanded to nine employees, consolidating stable employment in rural areas.

The next phase was the development of processing infrastructure, with the launch of a self-managed meat-cutting plant, compliant with health regulations, to process meat locally and strengthen direct sales. Logistics also had to be optimised, as the volume of shipments achieved now allowed for the consolidation of regular shipments of cold-packed meat, improving transportation service costs and conditions. This improvement reinforced the expansion of direct sales throughout the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands and Portugal.

The company then chose to invest in R&D and technical validation. This saw them enter into collaboration with universities and research centres to analyse production indices and nutritional quality, and adapt their database management protocols. While the company looked inwardly to improve, they also worked on dissemination and transfer activities, organising field visits, workshops and technical training for farmers and technicians interested in the transition to regenerative models. The team also participated in conferences and congresses, collaborating with European associations and programmes (including ARI – Iberian Regenerative Agriculture, EARA – the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture, and EIT Food), as well as publishing the results of their work via social media, local media and their own website. 

Gender equality

Three women currently work at Bio Poultree, one of them as a coordinator and two in the cutting room. Although women did not found the company, they are part of the permanent team and assume key responsibilities in daily operational management. The project has provided them with stable, quality employment in a rural environment where opportunities for women are not always easy to find.

Generational Renewal

The project has actively involved young people under 40 at different stages of its development. More than half of the current staff are in this age group, including the farm's main manager, who leads the daily livestock management and organisational tasks. This generational renewal occurs not only in direct employment but also in the training field: the training sessions regularly offered are highly attended by young people interested in new forms of regenerative livestock farming. 

Furthermore, the company is currently undergoing validation to become an official internship centre for students from rural schools in the Regional Government of Extremadura. This step reinforces its role as a leading space for practical learning and the incorporation of young people into the agricultural and livestock sector. 

Main Results

The project’s achievements span various categories. First and foremost, in terms of the climate and the environment, over 190 hectares are now managed with regenerative grazing. Vegetation cover has been increased by 65% on a significant percentage of the plots, with the carbon sequestration capacity improved and erosion reduced. Local biodiversity has been conserved through pasture rotation and restoration. The company has also recovered degraded soils and restored agro-livestock ecosystems, creating greater resilience to drought and erosion thanks to planned grazing practices, and generated a practical model that demonstrates that livestock farming can be an ally in climate adaptation.

The financial benefits have also been clear. The company has created nine stable jobs (from an initial two) and increased its income and profitability through direct sales and establishing its own cutting plant. It has optimised its resources and reduced external inputs through the use of virtual fencing and portable pens.

Socially, over 1 000 farmers and technicians have been trained in regenerative management, promoting generational renewal and knowledge transfer within the rural community. Consolidating an active regenerative network also inspires other farms to adopt more climate-friendly and animal welfare-friendly practices, whilst providing economic stability to a rural area at risk of depopulation.

Key lessons

It was important to work in tandem with agricultural and livestock organisations and networks, both to be able to scale regenerative practices and also to share learning. As such, the company had and still maintains close collaborations with ARI – Iberian Regenerative Agriculture and EARA – the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture.

The scientific community and regenerative network were also involved, as then both sides can benefit from R&D studies and projects developed with universities and funded with private resources, generating applicable and scalable knowledge. Small, rural companies need to tap into this knowledge base and use it to their advantage to create economies of scale.