Free-range broilers to retain status during extended housing orders

Free-range broiler growers and processors will soon no longer need to alter labelling when mandatory housing measures are introduced during bird flu outbreaks.

Currently, when housing measures are imposed to prevent the spread of disease, free-range poultry can only be labelled as such for the first 12 weeks, after which it has to be marked as indoor-reared.

But an amendment to the Poultry Meat Marketing Standards Regulation in England is in the pipeline, Defra has confirmed, removing this time limit and allowing free-range poultry to maintain its identity throughout any mandatory housing period, as long as the other criteria for free-range status are met.

See also: Yorkshire sheep infected with avian influenza

A spokesperson from the British Poultry Council said: “We welcome the removal of the 12-week housing derogation. ‘Free range’ makes up a small percentage of the poultrymeat market, but no one should face uncertainty about its status during a bad outbreak of avian influenza.

“Mandatory housing measures are designed to protect bird health and welfare so consumers can be reassured that, if a product is being labelled ‘free range’, it meets all the other criteria, reinforcing transparency in our supply chain.”

Housing periods

Currently there is a housing order in place across a large swath of the country. Producers in the East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk have been under restriction for almost 15 weeks.

The City of York, North Yorkshire and Shropshire were added to the list on 27 January, while producers in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire have been under housing orders for the past six to seven weeks. 

Defra farming minister Daniel Zeichner, said: “Our priority is to support English free-range poultry farmers while ensuring clear and fair labelling for consumers.

“Amending the poultry meat marketing regulations will enable the sector to keep costs down and remain competitive.”

The proposal to remove the 12-week derogation period was widely supported during an eight-week consultation late last year.

Similar changes will be introduced in Scotland to align with the new regulations in England.

Recent cases

Following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, the UK is no longer considered free from HPAI.

The risk of HPAI in wild birds is currently assessed as very high across Great Britain and Europe.

The latest detection of HPAI was confirmed in a backyard flock at a premises near Stanhope, Bishop Auckland, County Durham on 2 April.

A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been declared around the premises.

All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.