European free range egg rumours unfounded

Freedom Food’s chief executive officer Leigh Grant quickly sent a letter to The Ranger magazine when Freedom Food staff became aware that rumours were circulating in the industry that the scheme would be accrediting free range operations, including packing stations in Europe. These rumours are unfounded and a copy of the letter is published below.

To make things absolutely clear, Freedom Food’s purpose is to improve farm animal welfare. Currently, liquid egg is sourced from overseas as an ingredient – and this liquid egg comes from hens that are kept in battery cages. Freedom Food is involved in encouraging a move from caged to barn eggs – a major plus for welfare. However, this will not be taking business away from the UK as there is simply insufficient barn egg production in the UK to meet the current demand.

The scheme’s work across the livestock sector is subsidised by the RSPCA and Freedom Food is a not-for-profit organisation with a remit solely to find solutions to improving farm animal welfare, not to undermine business interests. In line with the view of the UK egg industry, Freedom Food wants to avoid eggs being imported from inferior production systems.

In fact, Freedom Food believe that, if they can establish the accreditation scheme as the standard for eggs that go into ingredients, it could provide the UK egg industry with a real business opportunity in the future. However, the reality is that there is insufficient supply of liquid egg from barn-reared hens to meet current UK market demand. It is worth re-iterating that the requirement is for liquid egg from barn-reared hens and not free range birds.