The British poultry sector is bracing itself for a
series of TV programmes and newspaper articles questioning current
production methods.
Coverage started with a
two-page article in The Independent claiming to reveal new
video footage showing welfare abuse on a broiler unit near
Leominster, Worcestershire.
Compassion In World
Farming, who made the film, claim to have made visits in
October and November and found lameness and birds suffering.
However, the unit manager denied any problems and said mortality
rarely exceeded 3%.
The article also contains
an opinion piece by University of Bristol professor John
Webster where he calls for political action on breeding
companies to "ban the production of birds unfit for purpose."
Prof Webster said that he sees no difference between existing
law that requires egg producers to provide better cages for laying
hens and a law that requires broiler breeders to produce a
healthier bird.
However, the industry responded by stating that it does care
about the welfare of birds.
British Poultry Council
chief executive Peter Bradnock said: "This whole idea that the
industry is dark, brutal and uncaring is rubbish."
He added: "The people who are producing these chickens are
producing them to what the market wants. All of these production
systems are available to consumers and are clearly labelled. There
is no subterfuge."
The NFU echoed Mr Bradnock’s comments in an attempt to dispel
some of the myths and misconceptions regarding the production of
poultry meat..
Charles Bourns, chairman of the NFU poultry board, said animal
welfare was the top priority for poultry producers because their
birds were their most valuable assets. Low prices on supermarket
shelves did not mean low welfare on farm.
“It’s disappointing that once again the British media is
referring to chickens reared for meat as ‘battery’ farmed. This is
completely untrue and our members who look after the national flock
are fed up to the back teeth of hearing it repeated. Chickens
reared for meat in Britain are kept indoors or are free range –
they are never kept in battery cages,” they said.
“The UK and the EU lead the world in animal welfare. British
poultry farming is a highly regulated sector, both in law and in
its assurance standards, which go beyond legal requirements.”
Coverage is set to intensify next week as
Channel 4 launches its The Big Food Fight. The channel
describes it as a groundbreaking season of programming that aims to
raise awareness and encourage debate about food production, animal
welfare and healthy eating.
Starting today, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
kicks off with three one-hour long programmes on consecutive
nights where he reveals the results of his experiment to show the
difference between "high and low welfare systems." He divides a
shed into two with 1500 birds in one-half and 2500 in the
other.
And on Friday (11 January), Jamie Oliver
will live in front of his guests use demonstrations, films and
interviews to highlight key aspects of chicken and egg
production.
Channel 4 programmes
Hugh's Chicken Run - 7, 8 and 9 January, 9pm
Jamie's Fowl Dinners - 11 January, 9pm