As we have previously reported, the recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority regarding the welfare of farm animals will significantly affect production costs.
Usually, the opinions presented by EFSA become the basis for creating legislative projects for the European Commission. Therefore, there are comments and arguments from practitioners, breeders and the entire meat industry explaining the consequences of this approach.
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New welfare requirements will destroy Polish breeding. Production costs will increase by up to 23%
For poultry, in terms of raising welfare standards, EFSA recommends:
- As for the opinion on keeping broilers, EFSA included in its opinion a recommendation to limit the growth rate of broilers. Additionally, it also indicates the need to reduce the stocking density, provide access to runs, provide access to runs covered with vegetation, use various platforms with ramps as hen house equipment, and also switch to transporting fertilized eggs in the future instead of transporting one-day-old chicks.
- In the case of laying hens, the basic recommendation concerns the withdrawal of cage systems in favor of cage-free keeping of laying hens, as well as the definition of a method for assessing the welfare of laying hens in such a way as to direct genetic selection to obtain lines that are more resistant to damage to the soft skin tissues. In addition, EFSA recommends implementing preventive measures against pecking and providing a covered run, as in the case of broilers.
- For the first time, an opinion regarding quails appeared and here it is recommended to withdraw cage systems and provide more space, and above all, to withdraw, if any, single housing of these animals and provide access to runs.
Transformation towards sustainable agriculture – yes, but sensibly
The National Poultry Council in its commentary on the recommendations assures that no one questions the introduction of changes and the maintenance of changes, but environmental issues cannot be looked at solely in isolation from the economic and social situation.
– Adoption of the EFSA recommendations to limit the breeding density and growth rate of broilers to 50 g/day would dramatically reduce poultry meat production in the EU by 70%, which would not only result in higher prices for consumers, a threat to EU food security, but also a decline in self-sufficiency from the current level 113 % to just 30%. Such a situation would make the EU an importer of meat from countries with lower animal welfare standards, which do not meet the strict EU standards in this area, and greenhouse gas emissions during production are much higher than in the EU. As a consequence, there will be a serious threat to the food security of Poland and the European Union.
Meeting EFSA's recommendations means an additional PLN 116,000. poultry houses in the EU
KRD-IG explains further: If we implemented the EFSA recommendations and at the same time wanted to maintain the current level of production, it would require the construction of an additional 116,000. poultry houses throughout the EU. This is an undertaking not only financially, but also logistically unfeasible, taking into account spatial constraints, environmental requirements and complicated formal conditions that currently apply in the Member States.
The demand for feed and water in poultry farming will increase
KRD-IG further points out: Additionally, the transition to slow-growing breeds will significantly increase the demand for natural resources such as feed and water by approximately 15.7% and will require new production areas by 17.8%, which is impossible to implement in the current legal conditions. impossible. Such a change would also increase CO2 emissions by over 12,327,300 tons, an increase of approximately 28%. Therefore, introducing the proposed changes could, in the long run, contribute to a significant burden on the environment, instead of bringing the expected ecological benefits. We appreciate EFSA's efforts in collecting and analyzing scientific data, but current recommendations do not recognize the full potential of sustainable farming or existing breeding programs that are effective in improving animal welfare. We appeal for a thoughtful review of the proposed recommendations, taking into account the actual possibilities of the poultry sector and the socio-economic consequences that may result from their implementation. It is necessary to avoid destabilization of the European poultry market, which could have far-reaching negative consequences for both the economy and consumers across the Union.
