Headlines
test test
Share:


Did you find this story interesting?     (0) (0)

26/09/2008 18:23:20

Egg farmers say let consumers decide



The NFU has called the RSPCA"e;s aim to outlaw the EU"e;s higher welfare enriched colony egg production systems "e;irresponsible and shortsighted"e;.

The news comes after a statement by Michel Barnier, French minister of agriculture, during a meeting of the European Parliament"e;s Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals in Brussels this week, where the RSPCA went on to call for the EU-approved enriched colony system to be banned.

NFU chief poultry adviser Robert Newbery said: "The RSPCA is being short-sighted and irresponsible in calling for enriched colony systems to be banned at a time when our members are doing their level best to respond to consumer demands, which means supplying eggs to all ends of the market.

"The egg industry has to reflect diverging consumer needs for higher welfare eggs, but also for affordability. Sales in free range and conventional indoor eggs are both growing respectively, reflecting that some consumers wish to buy higher welfare while other consumers, who have to watch the pennies especially in this current financial climate, opt for affordability.

"Banning the new enriched colony system, which, at £15-25 per bird, our members are now making considerable investment in, would only serve to export our egg industry to outside the EU or UK where welfare standards may be well behind our own.

"With food security a key issue, we need to do all we can to safeguard UK supply not force production abroad."




No Comments


Nobody has posted any comments on this story.




Post A Comment:
*Enter verification code, as seen on the picture
Code Image - Please contact webmaster if you have problems seeing this image code 


Farming items for Sale

Related News

 Let us bend the rules, say organic farmers - 22 Dec 2008
Organic farmers have asked the Government for permission to take a "holiday" from strict organic standards in an attempt to survive the recession. ...

 Consumers want clearer food labelling – so let them have it - 23 Nov 2009
The NFU is calling on the European Parliament to give UK consumers want they want - clear country of origin food labelling so they can be sure where i...

 Consumers let down by EU failure to ban food from cloning - 29 Mar 2011
Eurogroup for Animals is deeply distressed that the European Parliament and European Council failed to find an agreement on the Novel Food Directive l...

 Consumers pay more for eggs whilst egg producers get less - 21 Jun 2011
Whilst consumers are facing bulging food bills, Britain’s free range egg farmers are facing economic ruin because their payments are being cut. ...

 Venezuela-Chavaz says Lets be freinds to Obama. - 18 Apr 2009
"I want to be your friend" says Chavez and shakes hands with Obama President Barack Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez shared a friendly hand...

 Don’t let history repeat itself, says NFU Cymru - 20 Dec 2010
The Welsh Assembly Government’s new framework for managing the Welsh environment, countryside and seas, ’A Living Wales’, launched i...

 Consumers in Yorkshire can be sure of where their egg came from - 16 Nov 2006
It's on a day like this that you want to know exactly where your eggs have come from. The Harrogate firm Chippindale Foods, which was founded ...

 Consumers want to see British eggs on the menu - 29 Apr 2010
New research* has shown that more than 60% of consumers want the country of origin of eggs to be highlighted on the menu. The research, which was u...

 Consumers warned about imported eggs - 08 Aug 2010
Consumers are being urged to avoid imported eggs after research discovered high levels of pollutants in free range eggs produced in Taiwan. Both BF...

 Guide helps farmers decide on diversification options - 30 Jan 2007
For many farming and rural enterprises the New Year is the time to take a close look at the farm business to decide what changes can sensibly be made ...