Consultation on the registration of establishments
UK - The Government has published a Draft Statutory Instrument for the registration of all laying hen establishments.
17 July 2003
4 minute read
You are invited to comment by 9 October 2003 on the following documents:
- Draft Statutory Instrument - The Registration of Establishments (Laying Hens) (England)
- Regulations 2003;
- Application Form EMR 2b;
- Explanatory Leaflets;
- Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment.
The distinguishing number will comprise a digit indicating the farming method (1 - Free Range, 2-Barn, 3-Cages, 0-Organic), the code of the Member State (UK) and a unique identification number. This number will then be the medium for tracing eggs placed on the market for human consumption. Establishments with less than 350 hens and establishments rearing breeding laying hens will not need to be registered.
However, from 1 January 2004, it will be compulsory to stamp all Class A eggs with a code designating the producer's distinguishing number and identifying the farming method. Under these circumstances, therefore, establishments with less than 350 laying hens will not have to be registered under the Registration of Establishments (Laying Hens) (England) Regulations 2003, but will nevertheless have to supply certain details to the Registrar in order to obtain a distinguishing number.
Producers selling their own eggs, other than Class A, direct to the consumer, via farm gate sales, door to door, or local public markets, will be exempt from egg stamping arrangements but will still need to register if they have flocks of over 350 laying hens.
Application Form EMR2b will be used to capture all the above information.
The Egg Marketing Inpsectorate will act as the Registrar and it is envisaged that the unique identification number will be based on current EMI producer identification numbers. This will be either a three, four or five digit number which will now be harmonised to a five digit number. The distinguishing number will provide considerable benefits in terms of egg traceability.
Draft Statutory Instrument
It will be an offence not to register by 1 March 2004.
Form EMR 2b
Please do not complete this form. We are interested in hearing your views about the form e.g. layout, degree of information required, the data protection statement. Establishments who operate a mixture of farming methods will need to be issued with up to three separate numbers i.e. the same unique number but three different pre-fixes. Breeding establishments can apply for a producer distinguishing number.
Known producers will be sent a registration form in due course by their Regional EMI.
Explanatory Leaflets
Are these clear and helpful? What more could be included?
Draft Regulatory Impact Assessment
We would welcome any comments you may have on the assumptions and costings set out in the document.
Please send comments on any of these documents to:
Sean Collins,
Defra, Animal Welfare Division,
Area 509, 1A Page Street
London SW1P 4PQ,
Tel: 020 7904 6527.
E-mail: [email protected]
In line with Defra's policy of openness, at the end of the consultation period copies of the responses we receive may be made publicly available through the main Defra Library at Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. The information they contain may also be published in a summary of responses.
If you do not consent to this, you must clearly request that your response be treated confidentially. Any confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system in e-mail responses will not be treated as such a request. The library will supply copies of consultation responses to personal callers or in response to telephone or e-mail requests (tel: 020 7238 6575, e-mail: [email protected]). Wherever possible, personal callers should give the library at least 24 hours notice of their requirements. An administrative charge will be made to cover photocopying and postage costs.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
Alison Maydom
On Farm Animal Welfare
Source: DEFRA - 17th July 2003
