UK farming unions have convened to discuss how best they can face up to challenges new EU regulation will bring for the poultry industry in 2012. New welfare regulations coming into force from 1st January have proven highly controversial, as several states have announced they do not expect to meet the new regulations in time. image expired

The European Commission denied requests made by several member states for a six month grace period, which they claimed to need to adjust to the new rules, earlier this month.

This week, representatives from the NFU, Ulster Farmers’ Association, NFU Cymru and NFU Scotland met to discuss the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive, and the implications non-compliance from other states would have for UK farmers.

The NFU has previously stated that in the advent of the new rules British farmers have spent around £400m to ensure compliance with the new rules come 1st January. According to EC estimates, over 11 million hens will still be housed in un-enriched cages when the EU ban comes into force.

At a meeting held at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, the unions agreed to join forces in devising a strategy for how they could prevent illegal eggs from entering the country, which they fear would undercut UK farmers, who are already facing squeezed margins as a result of rising input prices.  

The majority of shell eggs imported into the UK come from Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, France and Germany. However, as industry spokespeople have stated, and the EC has confirmed, the origin of liquid egg and yolks, which are primarily imported from the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and France, will be much harder to trace.