RSPCA Assured has announced it has paused implementation of its new welfare standards for laying hens for three months in response to feedback from members and the wider industry. However, it has insisted the new standards will be brought in on 1 August 2024, with no further amendments.
When the plans were announced in November, producers said the new standards, which include a requirement for natural daylight, would be costly and in some cases – such as the requirement to install verandas on barn buildings – physically impossible.
In January, RSPCA made some concessions, for example it amended the scope of the standards, extending the timeline for natural daylight by one year to 1 January 2031, and removing the veranda requirement for refurbished and new member free-range systems.
Now it has paused the roll out for three months but says there will be no further changes.
Kelly Grellier, interim chief operations officer at RSPCA Assured, said: “We firmly believe the new RSPCA welfare standards for laying hens will help deliver significant improvements to the lives of hens.
“However, we recognise the importance of taking the appropriate time to listen to our members and the industry so we can provide additional support and help them achieve these challenging standards.”
During the three-month pause, RSPCA Assured said it would work collaboratively with members and the wider industry to find practical solutions to the concerns they’ve raised.
“The standards will not be undergoing any further amendments,” Grellier said. continued. “However, this additional grace period will allow us time to fully honour the commitments we made to our members and the wider industry during our meeting on 22 January – and find a way to move forward positively and together.”