Defra is consulting on two potential changes to marketing regulations for poultry meat.
As part of a range of measures announced to provide certainty to poultry businesses, the government has launched a .
NFU Poultry Board chair James Mottershead said the NFU will support the government's proposals, saying: 鈥淭hese moves will be welcomed by the sector as they ensure that poultry producers are not left at a competitive disadvantage.鈥�
The consultation is only applicable to England and Scotland. The Welsh Government recently consulted on the 12 week rule for poultry meat marketing. We are waiting to hear the outcomes of this but the NFU has constantly asked for a GB-aligned policy on this matter.
2 April 2025
Poultry meat marketing regulations amended
Following an eight-week consultation in 2024, the government has confirmed the 12-week derogation period for England and Scotland will be removed, meaning free-range poultry meat producers and processors will no longer need to change how free-range poultry meat is labelled when mandatory housing measures are introduced.
Previous outbreaks of AI in England have led to mandatory housing measures which have exceeded the 12-week derogation period. The Poultry Meat Marketing Standards Regulation in England will be amended so that this time limit is removed, enabling free-range poultry meat to be marketed as such for the duration of any mandatory housing measure.
Read:
9 January 2024
Defra launches consultation
The government is consulting on amending poultry meat marketing regulations in England and Scotland.
The consultation, which launched on 21 October, is split into two parts.
The first part focuses on the removal of current restrictions that mean free range poultry can only be labelled as such for 12 weeks after the introduction of avian influenza related housing measures.聽
The second is on the removal of the need for optional indicator certificates to accompany imported poultry meat.
The changes would put English poultry meat producers on a level playing field with the rest of the EU, and would benefit producers should an early housing order come into force.
Responding to the consultation
The consultation closes on 16 December. 皇家华人will be responding to the consultation on behalf of its members.聽
Producers can also respond to the consultation by visiting:
More detail can be found in the
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This page was first published on 01 November 2024. It was updated on 04 April 2025.
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