❓ The Hon Lynn MacLaren questions the Minister for Agriculture and Food regarding free-range egg labelling and stocking densities. The Minister's response indicates support for existing industry standards and national policy, deferring to the ACCC on truth in labelling.
AnsweredQoN 5219Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Will the Minister oppose 'free range' being used to describe stocking densities of anywhere between 750 - 20,000 birds per hectare?
(2) If yes to (1), what would be an acceptable range?
(3) What research has been done regarding what consumers understand by the term 'free range'?
(4) Can the Minister provide references to that research?
(5) What action does the Minister propose to take to ensure truth in labelling (including accurate stocking densities) for the protection of the free range egg industry in Western Australia?
(2) If yes to (1), what would be an acceptable range?
(3) What research has been done regarding what consumers understand by the term 'free range'?
(4) Can the Minister provide references to that research?
(5) What action does the Minister propose to take to ensure truth in labelling (including accurate stocking densities) for the protection of the free range egg industry in Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 May 2012
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection representing the Minister for Agriculture and Food
Response time
56 days
(1) No. The State Government supports compliance with the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Domestic Poultry 4th Edition (the Code) and Australian Egg Corporation Limited's quality assurance program, Egg Standards Australia (ESA) as the basis for good management of free range birds for egg production. The Code states that free range birds may not be stocked at a density higher than 1500 per hectare
unless
they are regularly rotated into fresh range areas and close management is undertaken which provides some continuing fodder cover. ESA recommends a maximum density for free range egg production of 20 000 birds per hectare. The majority of the Western Australian layer industry supports ESA.
(2) Not applicable
(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food does not conduct market research of this kind. I understand there is a wealth of information on this topic available in the public arena, some of which indicates consumers are unsure about commonly used labelling terms.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) The issue of ensuring truth in labelling is, in this instance, a consumer values issue which falls under Australian Consumer Law and is a matter for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The State Government does not support the introduction of regulations under the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
to restrict the density of free range birds because existing legislation is satisfactory for regulatory authorities to respond if bird welfare is compromised or the environment is degraded, imposing such a restriction is not consistent with current national animal welfare policy and doing so would have serious implications for the businesses that produce the majority of Western Australia's free range eggs.
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unless
they are regularly rotated into fresh range areas and close management is undertaken which provides some continuing fodder cover. ESA recommends a maximum density for free range egg production of 20 000 birds per hectare. The majority of the Western Australian layer industry supports ESA.
(2) Not applicable
(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food does not conduct market research of this kind. I understand there is a wealth of information on this topic available in the public arena, some of which indicates consumers are unsure about commonly used labelling terms.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) The issue of ensuring truth in labelling is, in this instance, a consumer values issue which falls under Australian Consumer Law and is a matter for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The State Government does not support the introduction of regulations under the
Animal Welfare Act 2002
to restrict the density of free range birds because existing legislation is satisfactory for regulatory authorities to respond if bird welfare is compromised or the environment is degraded, imposing such a restriction is not consistent with current national animal welfare policy and doing so would have serious implications for the businesses that produce the majority of Western Australia's free range eggs.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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