Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Free-range egg rules could be scrapped to help UK farmers rival EU

by December 29, 2022
December 29, 2022
Free-range egg rules could be scrapped to help UK farmers rival EU

Eggs laid by hens kept indoors for months straight due to bird flu could be sold as free-range under a potential relaxing of rules.

It comes as egg farmers in the UK have been battling the biggest avian flu outbreak on record, leading to fears of shortages.

Under changes being looked at by ministers, there could be a relaxation of how free-range is defined, meaning hens kept in barns for long periods could meet the new criteria.

As it stands, if a bird is housed indoors for more than 16 weeks it cannot be defined as free-range.

The department for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) is considering the changes to help UK farmers compete against their counterparts in Europe, Whitehall sources told the Daily Telegraph.

Retailers and hospitality firms have been forced to switch up their supply chains this year in order to cope with the outbreak.

Some 3.8m birds have died as a result of the avian flu outbreak, according to official data published last month, with fears the flu could spread further this winter.

Egg farming representatives have said it is critical for UK businesses that the country is on par with the EU.

Robert Gooch, chief executive of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association, has said previously: “It’s very necessary that the UK aligns with the EU, otherwise retailers will import eggs labelled as free range from housed hens in the EU in the event of an AI epidemic when there are none on the UK market.”

Rules in place in England and Wales currently mean birds must be housed to protect them from bird flu and stop the spread of the disease.

Egg producers have seen their production costs shoot up over the past year, with businesses previously calling on supermarkets to hike prices and pass on the increase to producers.

Feeding hens has become at least 50 per cent more expensive over the past year while fuel spending has increased 30 per cent, according to the British Free Range Egg Producers Association.

NFU poultry board chair James Mottershead said: “The British poultry sector has experienced an unprecedented year with record levels of avian influenza (AI), which is devastating family farm businesses across the country.

“We have seen how stringent biosecurity measures can help reduce the risk of AI and we urge all bird keepers to remain vigilant, whether you are a professional poultry farmer or someone who keeps a small number of hens in their garden.”

Read more:
Free-range egg rules could be scrapped to help UK farmers rival EU

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
BTC vs Gold – Which is the Best Store of Value?
next post
Investors convert ‘totally worthless’ NFTs into tax write-offs

You may also like

‘Not pension piggybanks’: experts warn millions of savers...

May 30, 2025

Kwesi Alleyne on Growth, Grit, and Giving Back

May 2, 2025

Economists and Activists Call on Rachel Reeves to...

October 25, 2024

KERB Hospitality Group Unveils 2024 Impact Report, Showcasing...

May 22, 2024

Why I’m Supporting British Farmers Against Ill-Thought-Out Inheritance...

November 17, 2024

4 Promising Customer Experience Trends (and What They...

November 11, 2022

CapitalRise secures £250m bank funding line to further...

January 15, 2024

How to Access Delta Sky Club When Traveling...

November 19, 2024

Ofgem cuts energy price cap but bills are...

February 27, 2023

Best E-wallets For gambling

February 21, 2023

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Rescissions: A Small but Welcome Step Toward Spending Discipline

      June 5, 2025
    • DAVID MARCUS: Why Navy ships should not be named for gay rights icons

      June 5, 2025
    • GREGG JARRETT: Biden, the ‘marionette president; and the case of the runaway autopen

      June 5, 2025
    • Trump Practically Bans Travel and Immigration from 12 Countries with Flimsy Security Justifications

      June 5, 2025
    • ‘He’s not a big factor’: Trump’s Senate allies dismiss Elon Musk’s calls to ‘kill the bill’

      June 5, 2025
    • Fears grow that Tata Steel could be excluded from Starmer-Trump trade deal

      June 5, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,147)
    • Investing (2,008)
    • Politics (15,523)
    • Stocks (3,127)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved