(UK) The NFU has expressed disappointment that the government has not been able to take stronger action on the prospect of illegal eggs entering the UK from next year.
British producers have invested £400million converting to enriched cages to comply with new European legislation coming into force on January 1. Other member states have admitted they will not be ready in time, but the measures announced by farming minister Jim Paice tuesday stopped short of a ban, due to "significant" legal and financial implications and practical difficulties on enforcement.
Mr Paice said government has been working closely with the domestic egg industry, processors, food manufacturers, the food service sector and retailers to "reach a voluntary consensus that they won't sell or use battery-farmed eggs, which will help British consumers to avoid unwittingly buying them". He said that Animal Health inspectors will use ultra violet light to identify batches of eggs that were not laid in the required enriched cages.
Any eggs thought to have been laid in an old style cage will not be allowed to be sold as class A (whole) eggs, although they will be allowed to be sold into the processing, albeit at a lower price.
NFU poultry board chairman Charles Bourns said: "We welcome the enforcement measures being taken by the government, but our members will certainly be bitterly disappointed that it has not been possible to take tougher action.
"We are concerned that although the government has repeatedly pledged its support for the industry, it cannot prohibit the use of illegal egg products and food manufactured from such products.
"Although we are pleased to see the support of some UK retailers and food manufacturers on this, there are still a number of companies who have yet to make this commitment.
"Further to this, we would like to see retailers and food manufacturers showing their support for the whole of the British egg industry by offering a fair price for all legal eggs and egg products to recognise the investment that has been made in all production systems in readiness for January 1.
"The UK egg industry should not be disadvantaged for embracing new higher welfare systems and the government's announcement today is not what UK egg producers needed after they have invested so heavily and met the requirements of the law."
The European Commission has been told that 13 member states will not be compliant in 2012.
