By Gary Ford, chief executive, British Egg Industry Council
Good progress is at last being made with the RSPCA and their amended laying hen welfare standards published twelve months ago. Yes, it has been quite a drawn-out process and it has taken a lot of effort – from all parties – but as a result of improved and increased engagement, which was always a key part of this, I feel that we are definitely making progress and heading in the right direction. The RSPCA will be issuing a scheme member update to all free-range egg producers in the coming weeks (indeed this should have been received by the time that you read this article) outlining revised start dates and clarification on a number of standards. Crucially, on the standard that was understandably causing most of the industry upset, natural daylight, the RSPCA/RSPCA Assured have indicated that they will join in the industry research being drafted on the impact of natural daylight on laying hens. Along with BFREPA and the UK farming unions, we have consistently been calling for the science and evidence, but the evidence provided thus far has been based on random flocks in the EU which isn’t good enough.
It is planned that the proposed commercial trial, to obtain the science and data, will include brown, white, trimmed, non-trimmed, flat deck, multi-tier, organic and crucially representation from all parts of the UK. This joint, cross industry, work is very much welcomed and will mean that over the next 3-4 years we will indeed know what impact natural daylight, over and above that already provided, will have on bird welfare.
As I move into my new role of head of strategy and producer engagement at BFREPA on 11 November, this is one area that I will continue to be involved in representing the best interests of BFREPA members. I am looking forward to my new role and representing grass root members as I did for so many years at the NFU. The timing couldn’t be better given the BFREPA Live Conference on 28 November in Telford where I look forward to meeting and hearing from as many members as possible and, if not then, hopefully soon after.