Egg producers and packers will no longer need to change how eggs are labelled during an outbreak of avian influenza, under measures announced today by the government.
Currently when mandatory housing measures are introduced to protect birds from the spread of bird flu, eggs from free-range birds can only be labelled free-range for 16 weeks after the housing order has come into effect.
After that derogation period under the Egg Marketing Standards Regulations, eggs must then be labelled as barn eggs.
In both 2021-22 and 2022-23, the 16-week period was exceeded by six and seven weeks respectively, which led to significant costs for industry as egg packaging had to be changed to comply with legislation.
The amends will be introduced through a statutory instrument later this year and will mean free-range eggs can be labelled as such throughout mandatory housing measures.
Read more: Defra proposes changes to egg labelling rules to support British industry
“We understand the pressures facing the egg producing sector and the crippling impact that avian influenza outbreaks can have on their businesses,” said Daniel Zeichner, food security and rural affairs minister. “Removing the need to change labels on eggs and packaging will help them keep costs down and remain competitive.
The move will cut unnecessary red tape and costs for British producers while also strengthening supply chains and maintaining consumer confidence, said the government.
“This government will restore stability and confidence in the sector, introducing a new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security alongside nature’s recovery,” Zeichner added.
There are currently no outbreaks of HPAI in poultry or other captive birds in the UK. However, HN51 continues to be found in wild birds, and keepers should remain vigilant and practice stringent biosecurity.
The announcement comes as a new £2.3m research consortium, lead by the Animal & Plant Health Agency, has been launched to understand how AI behaves in wild bird and mammal populations.
Scientists from the UK’s world-leading APHA, alongside the British Trust for Ornithology, RSPB, University of Edinburgh and NatureScot, will collect and analyse samples from a range of bird and mammal populations to better understand how the virus behaves, and fill current gaps in understanding about its transmission within wild birds as well as the wider risks to mammals.
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