RSPCA risks losing influence on free range industry
BFREPA (British Free Range Egg Producers Association) chairman Tom Vesey says the RSPCA is dragging its feet in deciding whether or not to support a decision by BEIC Lion code to increase external stocking densities. And the NFU’s chief poultry adviser, Rob Newberry, says the RSPCA needs to make up its mind quickly on the issue or risk losing influence on the free range egg industry. The British Egg Industry Council is continuing to work with the RSPCA to find a solution, although some producers are already pressing ahead with plans for expansion with or without the RSPCA’s blessing.
BEIC Lion code subscribers took the decision in September last year to amend the code to enable external stocking densities to be increased from 1,000 to 2,000 birds per hectare. The increased figure is below the maximum of 2,500 allowed under the EU egg marketing regulations, but Freedom Food and the RSPCA said they would need to see evidence that there would be no detrimental effect on animal welfare. The change in the Lion code was welcomed by BFREPA and took effect at the start of this year, but the RSPCA has yet to reach a conclusion on the issue.
Alice Clark, senior farm animal scientist with the RSPCA, said she was working with the egg industry to gather the evidence necessary for the RSPCA to be able to support the change. She said the RSPCA had asked scientists at Bristol University to look into the issue, but Tom Vesey said, "We don’t have that much time. The suspicion is that the RSPCA is prevaricating. I get the feeling the RSPCA finds it best to say nothing. It says it is looking for evidence, but that is like proving a negative. This could drag on for 12 months or more and there could well be a shortage of eggs. The shortage could be filled with imports, many of them of questionable welfare standard. That would do nothing for animal welfare."
Alice Clark told the Ranger that she was just as keen as the egg industry to press on with an evaluation of the potential impact on welfare. "It’s not something that we have closed the door on; we are keen to look at it," said Alice. She said the evidence about the potential effect on animal welfare did not exist at the moment, but she had been holding meetings on possible trials.
She said the RSPCA was asking scientists at Bristol University to look into the issue as part of an existing study under way at the university. The study was set up to look into range enhancement. Scientists are one year into a three-year project. "Bristol are very keen to do that, so that should be under way."
She said it was hard to put a time frame on the work. "I would like to see it moved along. It is somewhat up to the industry to prove that it can be done without any adverse effects."
Rob Newberry, the NFU’s chief poultry adviser, said the issue needed to be sorted out as quickly as possible. "The RSPCA is risking its position as an influential body of choice for the free range sector by not coming to a decision sooner. It makes sense in every way to change the stocking density where the land is suitable. Commercial pressures mean that it will happen sooner or later."
He said supermarkets like Sainsbury’s were moving away from cage eggs. There were not a lot of barn eggs around and the pressure would be on for more free range eggs. He said he understood it was a difficult decision for the RSPCA to make, but the industry could not wait. If the RSPCA wanted to continue to be involved it would need to make a quick decision. Otherwise, it would be left behind by the industry.
BEIC chief executive Mark Williams said that anyone producing non Freedom Food eggs could increase stocking densities now, as the amended code came into force on January 1 this year. However, he said the BEIC wanted to avoid the creation of two different tiers and was continuing to talk to the RSPCA.
"We are working with the RSPCA to progress the matter. The market is calling for more free range layers and British eggs. We need to provide them. We will be meeting with the RSPCA again shortly to discuss a number of issues. This will be top of the agenda," he said.
He said that following the introduction of the amended code on January 1, some producers were already "actively instigating plans". Those plans would be needed as the industry moved towards 2012 (the year for the introduction of the conventional cage ban in the EU) and beyond.
Despite concerns in the industry about delays, Leigh Grant, chief executive officer of Freedom Food, said he felt very positive about what was being done. "I am encouraged. I know work is genuinely in progress. No-one is saying ’We don’t want to do this.’ They are saying ’If you want this changed then we need to work together to come up with the data to show it will not be detrimental to animal welfare.’ The work is in progress."
Alice Clark said that as well as asking scientists at Bristol to study the implications for animal welfare, the RSPCA had also been drawing up additional standards that would be used if the society decided to go along with the increased stocking density. "If this did go through, then we would take the opportunity to really make those standards work well, concentrating on those things we have concerns about – the quality of the range, the risk of disease and that kind of thing." She said the standards would cover things like giving more attention to the area directly outside the pop holes, more range and cover to encourage the birds to use the whole area more evenly.
Tom said he accepted that range management could be more regimented; BFREPA had always accepted that. He had made improvements to the range, himself, but he said the area immediately outside the pop holes "would be caned" whatever improvements were made - as it was at present under the current stocking density.
Alice Clark said she was still talking with the working group and various stakeholders. "We need to keep continuing the discussions to see what we can do and what the industry can do to help to move it along if they need to move it along quickly. There are possible ways of looking at this information that Bristol might be able to collect – looking at that quicker than the end of the project. It is like anything. If we ever did make a change everything would always be under review. It wouldn’t suit every farm even if it was OK."
She insisted that the RSPCA was taking the issue seriously, but Tom said the industry could not afford to wait. The extra eggs would be needed, yet it would take a producer between 18 months and two years to bring extra units on stream. "At 2,000 birds per hectare, the stocking density will still be lower here than in other countries in the EU. The RSPCA has had people in France. Surely they can come to a view on what they think the system is like there. This is a perceived problem. Producers all know that there will be no adverse effect on animal welfare but it is very difficult to prove.
"The RSPCA council needs to make a decision and make it quickly."
