European leaders vow to take action to stop egg producers losing their free range status

The egg industry is calling for the 12-week cut-off to be extended, or else producers will lose their free-range status
The egg industry is calling for the 12-week cut-off to be extended, or else producers will lose their free-range status

European Union leaders are being asked to take action to prevent free range egg producers from losing their free range status if they are forced to continue housing their birds against the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

In early December the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), along with the devolved governments of the United Kingdom, ordered that poultry should be housed to protect against the threat of H5N8.

At that time there were no cases in the United Kingdom but there were numerous reports of cases across other European countries. The housing order was for 30 days.

Since then, cases of H5N8 have been found in United Kingdom - on two turkey farms in Lincolnshire and in backyard flocks in Wales and North Yorkshire, as well as in a number of wild birds around the country.

Chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens subsequently extended the housing order until the end of February.

Concern is now growing amongst free range producers because this extension will take the housing order to the end of the 12-week period - imposed by the European Union - beyond which free range birds will lose their free range status unless they are allowed outdoors.

Mark Williams, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) is calling for the 12-week cut-off to be extended.

Farmers' leaders in other EU countries are pressing for the same extension, and the issue was raised by both Dutch and Belgian representatives at a meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in January.

Some 1.6 million poultry have been destroyed due to AI
Some 1.6 million poultry have been destroyed due to AI

'No easy solution'

EU Agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan said he would work to find a solution but said there was no easy solution.

He said: “I appreciate that this is a difficult issue, particularly in member states in which the 12-week confinement period is coming to an end, after which eggs cannot be classified as free range.

“There is no easy solution to this matter, given the need to maintain the integrity of labelling and information for consumers who are prepared to pay a premium of up to 20 or 30 per cent for these free range products in the confident knowledge that they paying for what they are getting.

“So it's an issue that requires further reflection. That reflection needs to consider all the possibilities available. We will be working with member states over the next couple of weeks to see if we can get a resolution to this important matter."

Mark Williams said the position of the BEIC was clear: “BEIC is requesting that a derogation is provided to Commission Regulation (EC) No 589/2008, Annex II, point 1.a., to allow free range flocks that remain housed after March 1 in Great Britain under veterinary order to be able to maintain their free range marketing status.

“This would remain in place until such time as veterinary authorities determine that the disease situation allows for any housing restriction to be lifted - possibly in a further one to two months."

He said: “It is our view that we are in exceptional circumstances across the EU and this calls for exceptional measures to be put in place. The simple solution is for the EU Commission to allow the 12 weeks to be extended for a further one to two months to get past this time of heightened disease challenge."

761 outbreaks of AI

Between October and January there were a total of 761 outbreaks of H5N8 in Europe - 51 per cent in poultry and the rest in wild birds.

Supermarkets will be left with no source of supplies at a time when free range eggs are more popular than ever
Supermarkets will be left with no source of supplies at a time when free range eggs are more popular than ever

Some 1.6 million poultry were destroyed. As well as affecting 18 countries in Europe, H5N8 has also been found in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The BEIC chief also said that, in this country, Defra should look at lifting the housing order at the end of February whilst at the same time maintaining strict bio-security controls.

“Whilst we would be guided by veterinary advice, in the face of potentially losing free range egg marketing status - which we cannot allow to happen - we believe that the AIPZ (avian influenza protection zone) must be lifted on February 28 across Great Britain, but with the maintenance of high levels of enhanced bio-security."

Based on figures produced by The Ranger magazine, losses for the UK free range egg industry could run into millions of pounds if its eggs have to be downgraded to barn eggs.

Costings show that producers are already losing as much as £4.08 per bird on an average egg price of 88 pence per dozen.

If the eggs had to be sold as barn and the price was consequently cut to 70 pence per dozen, the loss per bird would be £8.58.

On a national free range flock of 18 million birds, the additional loss to the free range egg sector could amount to as much as £81 million.

'Extremely worried'

Robert Gooch, chief executive of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA), said the association's members were extremely worried about the prospect of birds losing their free range status.

“The cost to free range producers of having their eggs downgraded to barn doesn't bear thinking about," he said.

“There will need to be many discussions over the next few weeks. I know how busy Defra will be but we will need to have an answer before the end of February."

FarmingUK understands that farmers' leaders in the Netherlands are also raising the issue. The Dutch industry was likely to press its Government to ask the European Union for some sort of derogation, given the severity of the H5N8 outbreaks currently affecting Europe.

Mark Williams said he was working through EUWEP, the egg industry's representative body in Europe and with other EU organisations and member states to press for an extension to the 12 weeks.

Defra would not indicate to FarmingUK what was likely to happen beyond February 28. A spokesman said: “There is no impact on the free range status of birds or eggs as result of the prevention zone currently in place across the UK.

“Protecting against the threat of avian flu is a priority and it is essential all bird keepers maintain high bio-security standards.

“Appropriate measures have been put in place to reduce the risk of domestic birds becoming infected and they are kept under review following the best scientific evidence.”

FarmingUK pressed Defra on whether it was possible that the Government could ask the EU to extend the 12-week period to enable producers to maintain their free range status. The spokesman said: "We are keeping all measures under review and following the best scientific evidence."

Supermarkets' concern

Leading retailers are also concerned about the looming crisis in free range eggs.

If the whole of the UK flock has its status downgraded after February 28, supermarkets will be left with no source of supplies at a time when free range eggs are more popular than ever with consumers.

Individual retailers did not want to comment at the moment, although they made it clear that they were in discussions with the BEIC, the British Poultry Council, the National Farmers Union and Defra.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents the British retail industry, is also involved in talks.

A BRC spokesman told FarmingUK: “As producers are required by law to bring the birds indoors to prevent the spread of the virus, the free range status of eggs is maintained and they will be marketed and labelled as free range.

“We are working with Defra to find a pragmatic solution that mitigates any negative impact on free range farmers should the enforced housing period extend beyond the 28 February, when the derogation from free range regulation ends.”