UK amends free-range egg labeling rules to combat bird flu-induced costs

29 Aug 2024 --- The UK government has eased rules for egg producers and packers, who will no longer need to change egg packaging labels during avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks. 

Currently, producers must have adequate housing measures to ensure that birds are protected from the spread of disease. As a result of this mandate, producers had to label eggs from free-range birds as barn eggs if they were kept indoors for longer than 16 weeks, in compliance with the Egg Marketing Standards Regulations.

However, with the introduction of the new amendment later this year, free-range eggs will continue to be labeled as such throughout mandatory housing measures.

Reducing costs and securing supply

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) notes that in 2021, 2022 and 2023, the 16-week period stretched out due to longer outbreaks. This resulted in significant costs for the industry, as the packaging had to be replaced to comply with labeling regulations.

Daniel Zeichner, minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, says: “We understand the pressures facing the egg-producing sector and the crippling impact that avian influenza outbreaks can have on their businesses. Removing the need to change labels on eggs and packaging will help them keep costs down and remain competitive.”

The move aims to slash red tape and costs for UK producers while securing the supply chain and maintaining consumer acceptance.

“This government will restore stability and confidence in the sector [by] introducing a new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security alongside nature’s recovery,” Zeichner continues.

The UK declared itself free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in March this year. There are currently no cases of the disease among poultry or other captive birds. However, the HN51 strain continues to be traced in wild birds across Great Britain and Europe.

In other parts of the world, such as the US, efforts to tackle bird flu are ongoing. In May, the USDA invested US$101 million in prevention and treatment initiatives and provided up to US$28,000 per farm to enhance testing and biosecurity measures to curb the virus’ spread among dairy cattle.

Meanwhile, leading meat associations in the UK have raised the alarm about the risk of African Swine Fever (ASF) arriving in the region due to a lack of border control resources to prevent infected meat from illegally passing through ports and other entry points.