Tridge summary
The Scottish government has launched a consultation aimed at phasing out enriched cages for laying hens, proposing to ban new cages by 2033 and eliminate all cages by 2034. This initiative follows the UK's 2012 ban on battery cages and addresses growing concerns over animal welfare in farming, with a significant portion of the British public viewing cages as cruel. Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie emphasized the move as a step towards enhancing animal welfare and meeting public demand for higher welfare standards in food production. The proposal is in line with wider European efforts to ban cages for farmed livestock. However, the British Egg Industry Council has raised concerns that the ban could result in job losses and an increase in egg imports from caged hens, which may have lower welfare standards.
Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.
Original content
The Scottish government wants to phase out the use of enriched cages for laying hens. The Edinburgh-based authority has started a consultation on the plans and asks the poultry industry for its views. The intention is a ban on new cages in 2033 followed by a complete ban on keeping chicken in enriched cages from 2034. The UK banned battery or barren cages in 2012. Since then, enriched cages offer more room to nest, roost, scratch and rest, according to the Scottish government, which is now responsible for agricultural policies in this part of the country. Over 1.1 million hens were housed in cages in Scotland as of February 2024. However, in 2020, a survey showed that 88% of the British public consider cages in farming as cruel and 77% of those surveyed supported a complete ban on the use of cages in farming. Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie: “We want to improve the welfare of laying hens to ensure their confinement does not negatively impact their normal behaviours. Significant ...
Source: Poultryworld
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