Over the last two years, there has been a drop in organic sales across all sectors, organic egg and poultry meat are no exception to this.

These two sectors represent around 4.5 per cent of organic sales within the UK, the Soil Association annual report stated: 'Poultry and egg production are set to fall in 2011 because of a combination of faltering consumer demand, high feed prices and the cost implications of impending changes in the EU organic regulations.'

The Commission are suggesting that there will be a requirement for monogastrics to be fed a diet comprising of 100 per cent organic products from 1 January 2012 (as specified under Article 43 of Regulation 889/2008). Additionally the Commission are proposing an amendment to Article 19 of Council Regulation 889/2008 stipulating that 50 per cent of feed for monogastrics and 80 per cent of ruminant feed should be from own holding or region in line with the wording of Article 14 (d) (i) of Council Regulation 834/2007. The NFU have concerns that this will propose considerable strain on the organic poultry sector.

In June, the NFU organised for a group of representatives from across the organic poultry sector to express their concerns on these two issues at a European level. These six representatives – Andrew Gibson (2 Sisters), Martin Humphrey (Humphrey Feeds), John Sloss (Moy Park), Richard Kempsey (Stonegate), Ruth Mason (NFU) and Stephen Clarkson (Organic Farmers and Growers) – travelled to Brussels to meet with key stakeholder organisations and the Head of Unit for organic farming at the EU Commission.

The group met a number of stakeholder organisation including COPA-COGCA, IFOAM and AVEC, to establish their views on the proposed changes. This was followed by a meeting with Mr Hulot the Head of Unit for organic farming and Maria Fladl, policy officer at the EU Commission.