Rearing Code To Be Re-Worked
27 May 2010
The Game Farmers’ Association (GFA) has welcomed withdrawal by the new Government of a flawed Code of Practice for the Rearing of Gamebirds, laid before Parliament just before the General Election by the outgoing Labour Minister.
“Common sense has prevailed and a crisis for our industry has been averted at the eleventh hour,” said Jonathan Crow, the Association’s Chairman.
When the new code was laid back in March, the GFA said that late changes made by the then Government had rendered the code ‘unworkable’. The Association estimated it would cost the industry millions of pounds and affect 43% of partridge and 6% of pheasant egg production in England. It was also condemned by the Countryside Alliance, the Country Land and Business Association, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation. The late changes had been made by the then Minister, against the recommendations of his own Defra Gamebird Working Group and the advice of the Farm Animal Welfare Council.
As soon as the new Government was in place, the GFA, CA, CLA, GWCT and NGO wrote jointly to the incoming Minister for Agriculture and Food, Jim Paice MP, asking that the code be withdrawn urgently for re-consideration. Without withdrawal, the code would have gained automatic approval in early June, as soon as it had ‘laid before’ Parliament for 40 sitting days. Defra confirmed last night, however, that the code is being withdrawn and that the Minister is to host another meeting of the Defra Gamebird Working Group to consider amendments that will ensure the code is based on best available evidence.
The five countryside organisations had been concerned that the late changes would have made it very difficult to refresh a breeding flock; would have doubled the inspection requirement for all birds unnecessarily; and could have impacted on the siting of release pens. The changes also included the imposition of unfounded space allowances for all laying gamebirds. Mr Paice has now said he wants the re-convened Working Group to consider proposed new Government wording on each of these issues.
Jonathan Crow, Chairman of the Game Farmers’ Association, said:
“The new Government has done the right thing. Had the code not been withdrawn, game rearers would have faced chaos next season and bills running to millions of pounds. The late changes to the English code would have brought no welfare benefit and simply exported more gamebird production to unregulated systems overseas.
“The idea of a welfare code is good in principle and so too was the original text written for Defra by the experts. It was the late changes made by Labour’s former Minister which turned an otherwise excellent code into an unworkable mess. The industry welcomes the opportunity that has now arisen to help the new Government to put matters right.”
The GFA expects a replacement code to be in place by the 2011 game rearing season.
ENDS
Date Added: May 27th 2010