Poultry: Animal Welfare

(asked on 14th July 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy and (b) effectiveness of duck welfare regulations for commercial duck farms; whether he plans to increase those welfare standards after the transition period; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 20th July 2020

The Government's ambition is to raise our already high animal welfare standards still further, as new research and evidence emerges and we are currently reviewing priorities for farm animal welfare reform.

The welfare of ducks is currently provided for in the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Defra also has a statutory duck welfare code which encourages high standards of husbandry for the keeping and breeding of farmed ducks, including requirements for suitable housing, stocking rates and the provision of feed and water.

In addition to legislation, the main farm assurance schemes have standards in place which their members must also comply with, which set requirements to ensure the health and welfare of commercially produced ducks.

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