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Defra announces meat chicken legislation (December 2009)

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has rejected industry pressure to be allowed to use exceptionally high stocking densities for chickens reared for meat. The government is planning only to permit a maximum stocking density of 39kg/m² (up to 19 chickens/m²) for broilers, not 42kg/m² (up to 21 chickens/m²).

Chicken Out! welcomes Defra’s decision not to permit the very high stocking densities under the new EU Directive. Nonetheless Defra plans to introduce legislation that allows the factory farming of chickens to continue unchecked. The new regulation does not fully embrace the high welfare standards called for by MPs, consumers and animal welfare groups.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall says: “Although I’m relieved Defra are not permitting the high stocking density of the EU, there is still much further to go to improve rearing systems for chickens in the UK. This law may permit meat chickens to have more space than their EU cousins but they will still be farmed in conditions that fail to meet many of their basic needs. Thankfully, we haven’t taken a step backwards but we still absolutely must take more steps forwards.”

Thank you everyone who has taken part in this campaign. We now have our first ever legislation specific to meat chicken welfare, that we can build on and improve.

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