Holland wants an EU-wide ban on allowing hens out during the wild bird migration season, according to a report from the International Egg Commission.
As reported in the Ranger last month a voluntary shut-in, from February 15 to April 3, has already been approved for Dutch producers. The move is designed to reduce the chances of another Avian Influenza outbreak like the one that devastated the poultry industry in Holland last year. The shut-in will not affect the free range status of the eggs.
But this is only the first stage in what the Dutch want to become a mandatory annual event across Europe says the IEC. Discussions are also understood to be taking place on the issue in both Germany and Belgium.
The moves run contrary to the official view of the risks and repercussions in this country. During the major AI outbreaks last year Defra declined an approach for free range birds to be kept indoors without loss of egg marketing status.
“An EU ban of the kind proposed would be totally inappropriate,” says BFREPA vice-chairman John Widdowson. “If such a drastic measure were made necessary by an AI outbreak then it should clearly be an issue for the British Government not Brussels.
“In any case, an annual shut-in of this kind would clearly compromise the status of a free range flock and could undermine the whole free range market.”
If the shut-in does become a regular event it will also raise the issue of whether eggs from countries operating it can be sold as free range in this country. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture has started an AI monitoring system under which blood samples from free range flocks will be taken four times a year. Defra is said to be embarking on a similar exercise over here.
