Chickens reared for meat are not ‘battery’ farmed and poultry producers in the UK are fed up of hearing the claim repeated – that was the message from the British Poultry Council and the NFU today as they attempted to dispel some of the myths and misconceptions regarding the production of poultry meat.

Peter Bradnock, chief executive of the BPC, and Charles Bourns, chairman of the NFU poultry board, said animal welfare was the top priority for poultry producers because their birds were their most valuable assets. Low prices on supermarket shelves did not mean low welfare on farm.

“It’s disappointing that once again the British media are referring to chickens reared for meat as ‘battery’ farmed. This is completely untrue and our members who look after the national flock are fed up to the back teeth of hearing it repeated. Chickens reared for meat in Britain are kept indoors or are free range – they are never kept in battery cages,” they said.

“British poultry meat is produced to high standards which are independently validated and monitored by auditors from outside the industry. These scientifically based standards ensure sound welfare, environmental protection and safety. As well as this, welfare inspections are also often carried out by independent inspectors on behalf of producers’ customers.

“The UK and the EU lead the world in animal welfare. British poultry farming is a highly regulated sector, both in law and in its assurance standards, which go beyond legal requirements.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

The independent Assured Chicken Production (ACP) standards mean farmers have adhered to the Five Freedoms welfare propositions. This means the birds have:

• ready access to fresh water and a nutritionally sound daily diet and sufficient space to allow them to all feed at the same time;
• sufficient space, good quality housing and are kept in a safe, hygienic and comfortable environment;
• the freedom to express normal behaviour by providing sufficient space to walk, turn, sit, preen, flap and stretch their wings, and dust bathe;
• been free from pain, injury and disease through prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment;
• been provided with living conditions and treatment that avoid mental suffering.

Under ACP standards the maximum stocking density in the UK is 38 kilograms per square metre. This is substantially below the levels in many other Europeans countries. A new EU Directive means that, from 2010, the density will be reduced to 42kg/sq m – a figure the UK is already well below.

-ENDS-

 Notes to Editors:

1.       The British Poultry Council is the leading representative organization for companies and individuals engaged in breeding, hatching, rearing and processing chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese to produce poultry meat.

BPC 04 January 2008