Agriculture ministers from all states and territories have endorsed the new Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry, however farmers have expressed concerns over the proposed implementations.
The poultry standards were finalised by the Independent Poultry Panel commissioned by all agriculture ministers and are the culmination of an extensive stakeholder and public consultation process and underpinned by contemporary animal welfare science.
Animal Welfare assistant secretary Carol Sheridan said the endorsement of the poultry standards is an important step towards harmonising national animal welfare legislation and providing clarity and consistency to industry, consumers and trading partners.
While the standards propose a phased approach to banning conventional cages, implementation is a matter for the states and territories.
Consumers also have a choice about the products they purchase and some retailers have already announced that they will introduce a ban on products from conventional cages.
“The poultry standards introduce a range of welfare measures for chickens, ducks, pigeons and emus, including a focus on light, water and ventilation.
“The standards also allow for a range of egg production systems, such as larger furnished cages, barns and free range, that producers can choose from to best suit their business,” said Sheridan.
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has expressed concerns however over the proposed implementation of new poultry standards.
The NFF says that when the Standards and Guidelines were released last year, it expressed its strong concerns about the impacts they would have on farming families in the poultry sector, and in particular those involved in the layer hen and turkey industries. These concerns remain.
In a statement, the NFF said the farm sector placed significant importance on ongoing improvements in animal welfare outcomes, but this ‘must be led by science and holistically consider all factors including animal health and biosecurity’.
“Importantly, when governments implement such changes, they must support impacted producers who have operated and invested in their businesses in good faith for generations.
“For layer hens, our members have clearly told us that a transition of less than 25 years, without support and compensation, could spell the end for many family-owned egg producers, and impact on the consumers they supply.
“Yesterday’s meeting did not provide this. It’s critical now that the states work with and listen to farmer representatives as they consider implementation timeframes,” said the NFF.
