Sparring on data: What poultry farmers need from Meggsius Connect

On 17 June 2026, we welcomed nine poultry farmers to the Venco Campus in Eersel for a sparring session about Meggsius Connect. The goal was simple: to listen, exchange experiences, and better understand how data can support daily decision-making on poultry farms.

The participating farmers all have hands-on experience with Connect. Most of them are also involved as pilot farms in the Interreg NWE OMELETTE project. Within this project, we regularly visit farms to collect feedback and continue developing Connect based on practical use. That made this session especially valuable: the discussion was grounded in real farm situations, not assumptions.

The day started with a visit to Vencosteel, where the group had a closer look at the production environment. Although the farmers were already familiar with the Venco Campus, none of them had visited Vencosteel before. The renewed machinery and the work behind the scenes made a strong impression.

On the walk back to the Campus, there was time for informal conversations in the sunshine. After a drink and a traditional Brabants worstenbroodje, we moved into the main session. Together, we discussed current experiences with Meggsius Connect and explored a central question: when does data truly help a poultry farmer?

One clear insight came back throughout the afternoon. Data is only valuable when it leads to action. Farmers do not need more information for the sake of information. They need clear insights, reliable data, and timely signals when something starts to deviate from the normal pattern. In daily farm management, the value lies in knowing what deserves attention, when to act, and where to look first.

Around dinnertime, we paused the program for an outdoor dinner. It was a relaxed moment to continue the conversation, share experiences, and connect beyond the formal agenda.

After dinner, the discussion continued with the same energy. There was so much useful feedback that time passed quickly, and we did not manage to cover every question we had prepared. For us, that was a good sign. It showed how engaged the group was and how relevant this topic is for the farmers working with Meggsius Connect in practice.

The session gave us valuable insight into what poultry farmers need from data-driven tools: clarity, reliability, and practical support for everyday decisions. It also confirmed the importance of developing Meggsius Connect together with the people who use it on farm.

For the OMELETTE project, this kind of exchange is essential. It helps ensure that new digital tools are not developed from a distance, but shaped by real experience from poultry farms across the region.