Free-range status wins EU protection over lock-down

New EU regulations will be introduced today which will help egg producers to continue to sell free-range eggs in the event a housing order is introduced to avoid the spread of bird flu.

Following last year’s outbreaks of avian influenza across Europe – and the associated “lock down” order on poultry farms which saw animals housed to avoid infection – freerange egg producers will now be able to keep their chickens indoors for 16 weeks before their status is lost, four weeks longer than before.

The changes to the rules come as a response from the European Commission to concerns raised by producers about the potential economic losses where free-range farms lose their marketing premium.

In times of high risk of avian influenza, Eu-wide veterinary rules require hens to be kept indoors to reduce the risk of infectionsfrom migratory birds. However, any extended lock down is directly at odds with EU rules on freerange eggs which state that laying hens must have continuous daytime access to open-air runs. The 12-week derogation was considered too short in the face of the prolonged nature of the influenza outbreak in 2016, with many producers facing the loss of freerange status. This meant eggs normally marketed as free-range had to be sold as “barn eggs” if hens were kept indoors for more than 12 weeks.

With the possibility of further prolonged outbreaks of avian influenza arising once again as vast numbers of wild migratory birds appear on Europe’s shores, the extension was granted.

There are currently around 390 million hens in the EU – and while only around 14 per cent of Europe’s flock are freerange, the UK has the highest proportion with 41 per cent of the national flock being free-range.