Consultation on new Regulations and code for Meat Chicken Welfare

Animal Welfare Core Function
8B Millbank
c/o 17 Smith Square
London SW1P 6JR

Telephone 08459 33 55 77

26 January 2009

Dear Consultee,

Consultation on new Regulations and Code for Meat Chicken Welfare

1.         I write to invite your views on the draft Welfare of Farmed Animals and Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 and associated documentation. This is a draft affirmative Statutory Instrument (this means that it will be subject to Parliamentary debate) which will be made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and transposes Council Directive 2007/43 (www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/broiler-welfare/index.htm) regarding the welfare of meat chickens. The Regulations will amend the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, primarily through the addition of a new Schedule. They will also amend the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007.

2.        Council Directive 2007/43 and the draft Regulations do not apply to

  • holdings with less than 500 birds,
  • hatcheries, 
  • breeding chickens,
  • extensive indoor,
  • free-range,  or
  • organic chicken.

3.         However, these birds are still subject to the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and Schedule 1 of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007.  In addition, these birds (except for those found on hatcheries) will be subject to a new draft Defra welfare Code which forms part of this consultation package.

4.         For ease of reference we have decided to call the chickens subject to the provisions of the Directive “conventionally reared” for the purposes of the draft Regulations only.

5.         The Directive lays down various requirements for the keeping of conventionally reared chickens from the time chicks are brought to production sites until they leave for slaughter. These requirements depend on the stocking density being operated. There are new provisions for checks at the slaughterhouse on mortality and other indicators so that a consistent approach to concerns about poor welfare can be taken via feedback to the producer and Animal Health. The Directive is thus unique in that it measures welfare outcomes and provides for a feedback mechanism between delivery agents and the producer, thus potentially identifying unsatisfactory standards of stockmanship. We envisage that for most producers the Directive’s requirements will simply build on systems and processes already in place on the ground.

6.         It is foreseen that the delivery agencies who currently monitor and enforce meat chicken welfare will continue to do so, (Animal Health, the Meat Hygiene Service and Local Authorities).  Animal Health will continue to monitor welfare of farms both in response to information from the slaughterhouse and as part of a risk based inspection programme, including responding to complaints. As is the case now, any prosecutions will usually be undertaken by Local Authorities with supporting evidence from Animal Health.

7.         The following documents can be found on Defra’s website at:  www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/broiler-welfare/index.htm

Alternatively, if you would like to be posted a hard copy, please contact us at the following e-mail address: animalwelfareconsultations@defra.gsi.gov.uk

  • the consultation document
  • Council Directive 2007/43 (Annex A)
  •  the draft Welfare of Farmed Animals and Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (Annex B)
  • our initial thoughts on how the Directive’s requirements for industry training could be best taken forward including the possibility of  recognising previous certification and / or experience through a  “Grandfather Rights scheme ” (Annex C)
  • details of how Animal Health plan to inspect and enforce the legislation along with their relationship with the Meat Hygiene Service (Annex D)
  • details of information required to be sent by the producer to the slaughterhouse and the monitoring of poor welfare (Annex E)
  • the Impact Assessment relating to the proposed regulations,(Annex F), and
  • a draft welfare code covering all systems of meat chicken production updated to provide guidance on the new legislation (Annex G)

8.         We welcome your views and comments on all these documents but particularly on the questions highlighted in the consultation document and annexes. 

Responses

9.         Please send responses to either: The On Farm Animal Welfare Team,  Area 8B, Millbank, Nobel House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR.

Or email: animalwelfareconsultations@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Responses should be received by 20 April 2009.

Consultation Criteria

10.       This consultation is in line with the Code of practice on Consultations. This can be found at:  www.berr.gov.uk/bre/

11.       When this consultation ends, we intend to put a copy of the responses in the Defra library at Ergon House, London. This is so that the public can see them.  Also, members of the public may ask for a copy of responses under the freedom of information legislation.

12.       If you do not want your response - including your name, contact details and any other personal information – to be publicly available, please say so clearly in writing when you send your response to the consultation.  Please note, if your computer automatically includes a confidentiality disclaimer, that won’t count as a confidentiality request.

13.       Please explain why you need to keep details confidential.  We will take your reasons into account if someone asks for this information under the freedom of information legislation. But, because of the law, we cannot promise that we will always be able to keep those details confidential.

14.       We will summarise all responses and place this summary on our website at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/ . This summary will include a list of names of organisations that responded but not people’s personal names, addresses or other contact details.

15.       To see consultation responses and summaries, please contact the library at:

Defra
Information Resource Centre
Lower Ground Floor
Ergon House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Telephone: 020 7238 6575
Email: defra.library@defra.gsi.gov.uk

16.       Please give the library 24 hours’ notice. There is a charge for photocopying and postage.

17.       If you have any comments or complaints about the consultation process, please address them to Marjorie Addo, Defra’s Consultation Co-ordinator, Area 7C Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, or e-mail consultation.coordinator@defra.gsi.gov.uk

18.       Thank you for your help in this matter. If you have any queries please contact us as above.

Yours faithfully,

 

Alison Maydom
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Page published: 26 January 2009