Poultry Farming in the United Kingdom - By the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. This committee has published a report examining the state of poultry farming in the UK looking particularly at the impact new regulations have had on the industry and the affect they have had on the industry's ability to compete in the global market place. The report also looks at animal welfare standards.

Summary of Report

A common theme in the evidence we received was that, as a result of more stringent welfare standards, the United Kingdom poultry industry faces significantly higher costs than some of its foreign competitors. Increasing trade liberalisation is also likely to increase the pressure on the industry. These two factors are eroding the ability of the United Kingdom poultry industry to survive.

We share the concerns of the industry about its future and believe that it is appropriate for those who wish to sell in our marketplace to meet the standards expected of our own producers. We call on the Government, with its European Union partners, to develop a strategy to ensure that all poultry meat, eggs and products containing them conform to the food safety, animal welfare and environmental standards that we expect of producers in the Single Market.

We also expect the Government to provide more certainty for the industry. We argue that it can do this by involving the industry fully in the development of poultry welfare legislation and by clearly explaining its objectives for both the new chicken meat welfare Directive and the review of the Hen Welfare Directive. We urge the Government to promote the United Kingdom industry’s track record in implementing new welfare standards, especially to the consumer.

Contents of Report

1. Introduction

2. Background

• Production and trade
  • Poultry meat
  • Eggs
  • European Union legislation
• World Trade Organisation

3. Competitive pressures

• Animal welfare
  • Poultry meat sector
  • Egg sector
  • Addressing animal welfare concerns
• Trade liberalisation
  • Tariff protection
  • Animal welfare payments
• Other issues
  • Import quality
  • Indirect supports
  • Supermarket power
  • Environmental regulation
  • Animal by-products regulation

4. An uncertain future?

Conclusions and recommendations

Formal minutes

Witnesses

List of written evidence

List of unprinted written evidence

Reports from the Committee since 2001


To view the full report, click here (35 page PDF, opens in new window).


Source: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee - July 2003