The egg sector has warned consumers could face a shortage of free range eggs this winter.
European egg producers, packers and retailers gave the stark warning to the European Commission, if it does not accept the sector’s proposed solution to the threat of avian influenza.
Following a large number of bird flu outbreaks across Europe this year, the egg sector across the EU had proposed that the EU Egg Marketing Regulations be amended to allow free range producers to use ‘winter-gardens’.
A winter garden is a type of veranda, which would allow birds to go out onto a protected area in the case of further bird flu outbreaks.
These would allow hens to go outside but remain protected from wild birds which spread the bird flu virus.
12 weeks to 20 weeks
The egg sector argued that the use of winter-gardens would allow the EU to extend the length of time that birds could be housed.
Birds are housed if required to do so by veterinary authorities during a bird flu outbreak, from 12 weeks to 20 weeks, before losing their free range status.
The proposed winter-gardens would give the birds access to an additional covered outdoor space, equivalent to 20% of the barn, from the first day of the housing order.
In addition, to address confusing and inconsistent application of labelling rules during the recent avian flu outbreak, both organisations pressed for clearer provision in the present regulation for practical and effective ways of informing consumers of how eggs have been produced in a future outbreak.
'Not sufficient'
EU representative bodies for the egg sector EUWEP and Eurocommerce are critical of the current proposal from the European Commission, which is to be discussed at a meeting of member state representatives on 22nd June.
The bodies say the proposals do not provide the use of winter-gardens, or make any attempt to provide a harmonised approached to the labelling of eggs affected by housing orders during an outbreak.
They are concerned that without the use of winter-gardens the proposal is not sufficient to protect the viability of the free range sector in the event of housing orders in the future.
'We need to find a solution'
Mark Williams, Secretary General of EUWEP, said: “We need to find a solution to the threat of bird flu that protects hens and ensures transparency to consumers.
“We know that consumers would rather see birds and producers protected – research in the UK and NL has clearly illustrated this, so the use of winter-gardens to allow hens limited access to outdoor space is the most sensible compromise.
“We also need measures for informing consumers which do not create confusion or undermine consumer confidence, and want to see the Commission address this issue in the regulations.”
EUWEP and Eurocommerce are calling on the European Commission to think again on their draft proposal and to accept the egg sector’s and retailers’ proposed solution.
