Organic poultry producers may be concerned about the organic and free range status of their birds.
Defra have confirmed that there will be no loss of organic status, following the housing of birds provided that all other requirements of the EU Organic Standards 834/2007 and 889/2008 (or any additional standards Organic Inspection Bodies may impost) are complied with.
Under Article 14(7) of EC regulation 889/2008: where poultry are kept indoors due to restrictions or obligations imposed on the basis of Community legislation, they shall permanently have access to sufficient quantities of roughage and suitable material in order to meet their ethological needs.
Due an organic inspection?
Check with your certification body (CB), if you are due to have an inspection. Some CB’s have temporary suspended inspections during the Defra Housing Order due to the biosecurity issues and for disease control reasons.
What about Organic Free Range status?
If the Housing Order is extended further than 28th Feb, all free range status will be lost. This is because the 12 week derogation on free range status will have run out. This will have an onset result regarding labelling on packaging, loss of markets, and a financial impact both in terms of packaging costs and loss of premium sales.
It is vitally important that any action post 28th Feb does not jeopardise consumer confidence or stimulate any consumer confusion in organic or free range standards.
What’s the NFU doing?
The NFU are working hard to manage the situation for there to be as minimal an impact on farm as possible.
- The NFU are meeting with Defra officials and ministers to press the urgency and cost implications to the poultry industry.
- The NFU poultry team and NFU Brussels office and NFU President are lobbying the EU Commission, alongside other member states, namely Belgium, Sweden, France, Ireland, Austria, Finland and Denmark for an extension to the 12 week derogation.
- Communication with retailers regarding the severity of the situation, including the onset costs of packaging artwork.
Talks are still ongoing with no confirmation, as yet, of what the situation will be past 28th Feb.
Defra are updating their website on a weekly basis with further information:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-protect-poultry-against-avian-flu
The NFU Poultry website is also being regularly updated with further information http://www.nfuonline.com/sectors/poultry/