The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Assured has prolonged the pause for the beginning date of its new laying hen welfare requirements for a complete of 9 months.
RSPCA Assured mentioned this was to permit extra time to offer tailor-made help for its members.
This means members can proceed to make use of the present model of the requirements, printed in 2017, till February 1, 2025.
The prolonged pause follows RSPCA Assured’s authentic announcement in March this 12 months, that it could be pausing the implementation of the requirements for 3 months (from May 2024 to August 2024), in response to member and business suggestions.
Interim chief operations officer at RSPCA Assured, Kelly Grellier, mentioned: “Our members are basic in serving to us enhance hen welfare.
“Therefore, guaranteeing we take heed to them and supply correct help to assist them meet the brand new requirements is our high precedence.
“To do this effectively, we have to be flexible. Extending the current pause until 2025 will give us more time to talk to more members and offer more support tailored to their specific needs.”
Over the approaching months, the RSPCA mentioned it and and RSPCA Assured might be providing in person conferences to their members.
The intention of those might be to completely perceive any challenges producers are dealing with and work with them to search out practical options to assist them obtain the brand new requirements.
‘Serious concerns’
The British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) and the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) issued a joint assertion saying business our bodies have been liaising intently over the RSPCA Assured amended laying hen welfare requirements.
“While we appreciate the pause in the implementation date and the commitment to engage with us in person, we still have serious concerns over a number of the standards that, as it currently stands, will come into force in February 2025,” the assertion mentioned.
“We have responded to RSPCA Assured with a transparent request that if any points are recognized with the brand new requirements in the course of the session/engagement interval that don’t ship a demonstrable welfare profit, that these might be reviewed.
“This relies on the business’s view that the welfare profit to the birds of a few of the new requirements will not be practical, achievable or helpful.
“We remain committed to high laying hen welfare standards and look forward to a meaningful dialogue with RSPCA Assured on its new standards over the coming months.”
