Free-range egg rules under fire

‘They are still free-range hens but because of a piece of paper they have to be called barn after 16 weeks’

EGG farmers have demanded ministers rip up free-range labelling rules as they warn another avian flu outbreak could hit before the end of the year.

Farmers were forced to re-brand free-range eggs as “barn” eggs in March after all chickens had to be kept indoors for four months to curb the country’s largest ever outbreak of bird flu.

The Uk-wide housing order was only lifted on May 2 after officials said the risk of the outbreak spreading had lessened, meaning free-range eggs could return to shelves.

However, industry bosses warn more outbreaks of avian flu could come later this year and next, piling further stress on farmers who are already battling soaring costs. Keeping birds inside adds to farmer’s’ electricity and heating bills.

Farmers hope the Government will allow free-range rules to align with requirements for organic produce, meaning chickens only have to be outside for a third of their life. The rules date from EU marketing regulations adopted by Britain before Brexit.

Mark Williams, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council, called for a shake-up of rules requiring farmers to re-label eggs as “barn” if birds are kept indoors for more than 16 weeks.

In a speech at the Pig & Poultry Fair, first reported by Farming UK, he said: “In my book, it is quite simple; they are still free-range hens but because of a piece of paper called legislation they have to be called barn after 16 weeks.

“That to me is wrong and we are actively lobbying the Government now we are out of Europe to change that.”

About 70pc of the eggs sold in supermarkets are free-range, according to Kantar, almost double the level in 2014.

The comments come as other European countries and the US battle avian flu outbreaks, driven by migratory birds.