The UK is poised to lift rules keeping all chickens indoors as the threat of bird flu wanes, heralding the return of free-range eggs to store shelves.
(Bloomberg) — The UK is poised to lift rules keeping all chickens indoors as the threat of bird flu wanes, heralding the return of free-range eggs to store shelves.
Poultry and captive birds will be allowed outside as of April 18, according to a statement from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. From that date, eggs from outdoor hens can again be labeled as free-range.
The lockdown was introduced in England in November as farmers battled the worst-ever outbreak of avian influenza, with cases also surging globally. The virus is often deadly and farmers typically cull flocks once a case is detected.
The risk of infection has now been cut to “medium” for farms with poor biosecurity and “low” for premises with good biosecurity, the government said. It cautioned that rigorous practices will still be needed to keep poultry healthy.
“It is thanks to the hard work of all bird keepers and vets who have played their part in keeping flocks safe this winter that we are in a position to take this action,” UK Chief Veterinarian Christine Middlemiss said. “However, the unprecedented nature of this outbreak has proven it’s more important than ever for bird keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease and maintain stringent standards of biosecurity.”
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