National Farmers’ Union meeting to review broiler directive

UK’s North East National Farmers' Union will convene a meeting for the region's chicken producers on September 2 to discuss proposed changes to the European Broiler Welfare Directive, nebusiness.co.uk reported. The meeting will be held at the NFU regional office in York.
Rob Newberry, NFU's chief poultry advisor, will brief participants on the latest negotiations regarding the directive and the organization's actions to ensure that the changes do not adversely affect UK producers. The changes are slated to come into effect next year.
Other welfare initiatives such as plans to develop a national campylobacter strategy, and the latest on cost and responsibility sharing for animal diseases, will also be discussed.

Poultry organizations oppose DEFRA's proposal

Poultry organizations have opposed U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' proposal for a new animal health body, according to a news report.
The organizations – NFU, British Egg Industry Council, British Poultry Council and British Veterinary Association – have expressed concerns over responsibility and cost-sharing. The new body is supposed to take over animal health matters from DEFRA and will be partly funded by the farming industry.
Though the point of disagreement for each of them is different, the organizations agree that health and welfare should not be separated.