Liverpool MEP adds voice to call for better treatment of chickens.
January 15, 2008 12:00 AM
The EU must take the lead to give chickens a more comfortable time during their short lives, says a local Euro-MP.
Liberal Democrat Chris Davies says that the huge increase in consumption of cheap meat should not be at the cost of immense animal suffering.
Chicken is the cheapest and most popular meat sold in the UK and accounts for 40% all meat purchases. Around 855 million birds, known as broilers, are reared for their meat every year and birds sell for as little as £2.50 in British supermarkets.
Around 95% of birds are reared in intensive factory conditions and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Rspca) claims around 100,000 birds die prematurely every day.
Broiler chickens are genetically selected to grow quickly and the time from when they hatch until they appear on a supermarket shelf can be less than 6 weeks. The birds grow so rapidly they can suffer from severe health problems such as chronic lameness and heart defects.
Most chickens bred for their meat spend their lives in heavily stocked sheds that have very low light to discourage activity and maximise growth. This disrupts normal sleep patterns causing stress, eye abnormalities and leg disorders.
Moves to highlight the realty of cheap chicken and calls for supermarkets to improve conditions are being led by TV chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver.
North West Euro-MP Chris Davies claims it is the EU who must take the lead in ensuring better conditions for birds across Europe.
Mr Davies said: "Standards need to be brought up across the EU to prevent trading cheaply at the cost of animal welfare."
"But it is a difficult issue and we have to protect the businesses of British chicken farmers. Animal welfare is not included in the World Trade Organisation agreements and if we impose too much of a burden on farmers the price of their chicken will be uncompetitive and our shops will be full of cheap imports from countries where animal welfare standards are much worse."
Last year EU Agriculture Ministers agreed a new law to deliver improvements in the conditions of the sheds in which the chickens are housed and limit cruel practices such as beak trimming.
The law will require little by way of improvements for UK birds but requires a number of reports to be made by the European Commission on labelling of birds and the fast growth rates of broiler hens. This will provide the opportunity for real improvements to be made over the next few years.
The rules will come into force in 2012, despite calls from farmers for more time to prepare.
Chris Davies has welcomed the Commission's refusal to delay the law as a victory against intensive farming.
He said: "Battery cages have long been seen as one of the most inhumane aspects of factory farming and it is high time we moved towards reducing animal suffering."
Chris Davies is supporting the Rspca's call for clearer labelling of chicken products to allow customers to make informed decisions about the meat they buy. According to a survey carried out by the charity, the welfare of the animal is the second most important consideration, behind health claims but before price and taste.
He said: "Research shows consumers are confused about the labelling of chicken products. There is a need for clear and accurate information about how chickens have been produced so consumers can make an informed choice."
The RSPCA recommends people only buy chicken that has the 'Freedom Food' label, or free-range birds.
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