Support British egg farmers: Stop illegal battery cage eggs
British egg producers have invested £400m on phasing out barren battery cages to meet the requirements of EU legislation which came into force on 1 January 2012.
However 13 other EU member states have failed to get some 50m hen houses in order.
Yet the Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has said it does not plan to check imported egg products or products containing eggs. Instead the UK will be relying on a voluntary food industry ban to keep illegally produced eggs out of the country.
Emma Pruen, who sits on the National Executive of the Green Party and lives on a farm in Somerset said
It's outrageous that the EU ban on the sale of eggs from barren battery cages isn't being enforced, and that the UK Government has chosen to turn a blind eye to processed egg imports from non-compliant countries. There is already a legal requirement for proper supporting documentation of all egg and egg related products entering the UK, they just need to ask to see it. We also have a standard traceability procedure operating here and across Europe, so it is there is no reason whatsoever for the Government not to do the decent thing.
The British Egg Industry Council says
We're asking the government to conduct proper checks of imported eggs, egg products and products containing eggs entering UK ports, egg packing stations, processing plants, importers and wholesalers. Otherwise, UK consumers could be eating eggs from illegal battery hens and British egg producers will be seriously undermined, with the possible loss of thousands of jobs.
The Green Party would like to see the egg industry switch to entirely free-range systems, but welcomes introduction of the new ‘enriched' cages as an improvement on barren battery cages. The majority of British people think shops should stop selling cage eggs, or products containing them, even if it meant prices may go up, found the RSPCA in recent research.
Although as a nation we have all been buying more cage-free eggs, the majority of eggs we eat are hidden in foods such as cakes, quiche and mayonnaise, which do not have to be labelled.
Contact
To find out what the Greens are doing for you in the South West go to southwest.greenparty.org.uk
For more information of the Green Party animal welfare policies go to policy.greenparty.org.uk
The BEIC has launched a new website at www.legaleggs.com and is calling for food companies and the public to sign its pledge to support British egg producers and help keep illegal eggs out of the UK.
For a free guide to buying cage-free eggs and products that contain eggs go to www.rspca.org.uk/eggs
Emma Pruen
Green Party South West Media Co-ordinator
07508 920583
emmapruen@gmail.com
southwest.greenparty.org.uk
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