The UK’s farming minister Jane Kennedy today (26 January) released for consultation proposals on Europe’s first set of rules governing the welfare of chickens raised for meat.
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The new European rules would, for the first time, provide a legal baseline for welfare standards for all chicken producers with more than 500 birds.
“These new EU rules are a welcome improvement on the limited conditions previously applied to the welfare of chickens raised for meat,” Kennedy said.
“For most English producers, the new requirements simply build on systems that are already in place and working well.”
The proposals also cover new limits for ammonia and carbon dioxide and standards for temperature, humidity and maximum stocking density.
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By GlobalDataThe regulation is due to come into effect in June next year.
The news comes amid heightened awareness of chicken welfare standards in the UK, with celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall grabbing headlines with his attack on the country’s largest retailer, Tesco, over its sale of cheap chicken produced using intensive farming techniques.
Last year, Fearnley-Whittingstall bought one share in Tesco in order to put forward a motion on chicken welfare at the company’s AGM. While the motion was voted down, Fearnley-Whittingstall will reveal in his Channel 4 television programme this evening that Tesco has since been engaged in talks over improving chicken welfare.
“We have been involved in English Implementation Group talks on chicken welfare, which were also attended by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall,” a spokesperson for the retailer told just-food.
“They took place under Chatham House rules, so we are unable to comment further,” the spokesperson added.
