Backyard poultrykeepers ‘flout rules’, Efra committee told

The chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee has raised concerns that backyard poultrykeepers are flouting the avian flu housing order.

Sir Robert Goodwill, Conservative MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said it was clear that many keepers were allowing their birds to run free, risking further spread of the disease.

See also: Half of UK free-range Christmas turkeys lost to avian flu

“In North Yorkshire I think I’m the only person who is complying with the rules at the moment, there are a lot of hens running around, you don’t have to walk very far to see them,” said the former Defra farm minister, speaking during an environment committee (Efra) evidence session on avian flu.

Sir Robert, a working farmer, said those flocks should be housed. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the regulations and, although there is an awareness campaign aimed at backyard flocks there is no inspection regime.

Where the Animal and Plant Health Agency is made aware of concerns, it will advise local authorities on possible prosecution.

Defra chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss admitted that with avian flu stretching resources to the limit it had to be a “trade-off” on how these were best used for disease control.

“In an ideal world it would be great if everyone was inspected, advised and they did it (housing), but for me it’s a trade-off on how we best use resources for disease control,” she said.

Premises where eggs are sold are classed as commercial and therefore restriction areas need to be placed around them if the flock is infected.

“That has an impact for all poultry businesses that are in those restriction areas, but with this strain we are not seeing huge amounts of spread from those premises so in disease control terms using resources to inspect them isn’t my top priority,” said Dr Middlemiss.

Scotland latest

North of the border, SNP MSP Jim Fairlie has urged poultrykeepers to maintain scrupulous standards after it emerged that there had been lapses in biosecurity practices at each of eight farms in Scotland where avian flu outbreaks had occurred.

Sheila Voss, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer, said maintaining good biosecurity “is the single most important thing that people can do”.

She pointed to evidence from the European Food Safety Association, which showed that strong biosecurity practices could improve things by a factor of 44, as opposed to housing birds which is a factor of two. 

“Housing is the last thing to do, it adds protection only when everything else is done right,” said Ms Voss, speaking during a Scottish parliament rural affairs, islands and natural environment committee meeting.

A mandatory housing order for all kept birds and poultry in England has been extended to Wales and Northern Ireland until further notice. Scotland has yet to impose a housing order.