Free-range poultry meat producers and processors no longer need to change how meat is labelled when mandatory housing measures are introduced.
Government will amend the regulations, which currently state that when mandatory housing measures are introduced to protect poultry from the spread of disease, after 12 weeks, free-range poultry then has to be labelled as indoor reared.
The Poultry Meat Marketing Standards Regulation in England will be amended so that the time limit is removed, enabling free-range poultry meat to be marketed as such for the duration of any mandatory housing measure.
In recent years, outbreaks of bird flu in England have led to the introduction of mandatory housing measures, which on several occasions have exceeded the 12-week maximum derogation period.
“Amending the poultry meat marketing regulations will enable the sector to keep costs down and remain competitive.”
Daniel Zeichner, Food Security Minister
The amendment to existing legislation, which will be introduced in England through a Statutory Instrument, will mean that free-range poultry meat can, as long as the rest of the criteria on which free-range is granted are met, continue to be labelled as such throughout mandatory housing measures.
Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, said: “Our priority is to support English free-range poultry farmers while ensuring clear and fair labelling for consumers. Amending the poultry meat marketing regulations will enable the sector to keep costs down and remain competitive.
“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,” he added.
The proposal to remove this derogation period for England and Scotland was supported by the majority of respondents to an eight-week consultation undertaken late last year. Similar legislative changes are also to be introduced by the Scottish Government.
