May 2024
BFREPA Council met in April, during which I gave an update about multiple ongoing negotiations with RSPCA Assured. Your contributions as BFREPA members have been invaluable in these discussions.
BFREPA continues to work closely with BEIC, NFU, and other industry representatives to speak to RSPCA Assured regarding the revised welfare standards for laying hens. Egg producers were told the new standards would become enforceable in August 2024, but BFREPA believes many of the proposed standards are either impractical to implement or detrimental to hen welfare. The BFREPA board expressed deep concern about the need for more engagement with the industry before introducing any revised standards.