Good news for UK poultry firms as bird flu housing rules end
Free-range eggs back on sale
After a brutal year battered by the UK’s worst-ever bird flu outbreak, poultry businesses finally have reason to cheer. The government has scrapped mandatory indoor housing for hens. This means eggs from birds allowed outside can once again carry the “free-range” label – a lifeline for producers like the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (Bfrepa).
Bfrepa’s chief executive emphasised the importance of outdoor access. “Hens show natural behaviours such as scratching, dust bathing and foraging on the range,” they said. “These are vital to authentic free-range and organic egg production.”
Bird flu threat persists – vigilance still vital
Despite the easing of restrictions in England and Wales, bird flu is expected to linger for weeks. The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer urged poultry keepers to stick to strict biosecurity measures. “Scrupulous standards” remain essential to stop new outbreaks in their tracks.
Risk to humans remains low but virus is highly contagious
The UK Health Security Agency reassures that the public risk from bird flu is very low. Yet the virus has devastated millions of birds globally and spilled into other animals. Its contagious nature poses a huge ongoing threat to the poultry industry.
Regional lockdowns still in force
Though England and Wales have lifted indoor housing orders, birds in Northern Ireland remain confined. Meanwhile, Scotland never implemented the ban, with its Chief Vet deciding there was insufficient evidence to move birds inside.
