NFU: £1billion in UK poultry updates needed

National Farmer’s Union (NFU) poultry board chairman Charles Bourns estimated that £1billion would need to be spent by the industry to bring all UK poultry housing up to date. He cited the NFU Poultry Housing Age survey saying the average broiler house is 24 years old and only 10% were built in the last 10 years.

All UK hens will have to be out of conventional cages by 2012 to be in compliance with the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive. This has led to an increase in free-range egg production, which has some concerned about flooding the free-range egg market.