Clucking Hell!

[Cobbydaler]

Hadn't heard anything about these new rules...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-16232506

[Osem]

I could probably find a nice warm home for some of them.





@ about 200degC for about 90 mins....

[Pierre]

The usual SP our farmers will have to follow the new rules to the letter, whilst the rest of Europe will raise two fingers and the undercut our industry. I do hope Camerons action is s catalyst for us to leave the EU.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

Hadn't heard anything about these new rules...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-16232506

I suspect it relates to this:

European Union
In 1999, the European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC[7] banned the conventional battery cage in the EU from 2012, after a 10-year phase-out. In their 1996 report, the European Commission's Scientific Veterinary Committee (SVC) condemned the battery cage, concluding:
"It is clear that because of its small size and its barrenness, the battery cage as used at present has inherent severe disadvantages for the welfare of hens".
The EU Directive allows enriched or "furnished" cages to be used. Under the directive, enriched cages must be at least 45 cm high and must provide each hen with at least 750 cm² of space; 600 cm² of this must be "usable area" – the other 150 cm² is for a nest-box. The cage must also contain litter, perches and "claw-shortening devices". Some animal welfare organisations, such as Compassion in World Farming, have criticised this move, calling for enriched cages to be prohibited as they believe they provide no significant or worthwhile welfare benefits as compared with conventional battery cages. The use of battery cages is banned in Belgium, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery...European_Union

So there's been a 10 year phase out, and some farmers still get 'caught out'. Kudos (not) to the Beeb for telling the whole story. I guess 'chickens being rescued' makes better news than 'moron farmers ignore 10 year notice period' in the runup to Christmas.

[martyh]

Originally Posted by Pierre

The usual SP our farmers will have to follow the new rules to the letter, whilst the rest of Europe will raise two fingers and the undercut our industry. I do hope Camerons action is s catalyst for us to leave the EU.

You may be right

this article from sept http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14751522

A ban on building new cages and using them for the first time has been in place since 2003 while the intention to phase them out completely was first announced in 1999.

and this from june http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-13749689

"Countries like Poland and Hungary have been buying our old battery cages with the intention of continuing to produce eggs under what we consider were appalling conditions, and then sell them back into the EU

[heero_yuy]

The problems of parts of the EU not implementing the directive have been aired many times on R4's "Farming today" program.

This IS good news:

All the big supermarkets have agreed not to sell such rogue whole eggs, and most have gone further by banning them from own-brand processed food.

Unfortunatly:

But the RSPCA warns that many of the eggs will still find their way into branded cakes, quiches or mayonnaise.

Not just in supermarkets, but in restaurants too.

And:

If a branded product comes from one of the 13 EU states that aren't complying with the new legislation, then sometimes it will be difficult for consumers to tell

Source

[Ignitionnet]

Shows how much use the EU is when it can't even properly implement a simple trade directive between 27 nations without 13 of them ignoring it. These are the guys who want to approve national budgets. Right.