Following a position paper issued by the U.K. Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, equivalent to the USDA) the British Egg Industry Council is demanding inclusion of welfare requirements in regulations governing bith importation and domestic production.  The BEIC requires that any imported eggs be derived from flocks subjected to the same management and welfare standards as applied in the U.K. 

Fear of competition from imported eggs has motivated the BEIC to ensure a level playing field.  Mark Williams, Chief Executive of the egg group, stated “We keep telling government that if you want to further raise our standards in this country on bird welfare that adds to cost and you must not leave our backdoor open to lower-standard eggs and egg products.”  He added, “Government has said it will not undermine the U.K.'s high welfare standards, so that’s good news.  We now expect to see the proof in the pudding, so to speak, in various bilateral trade agreements.”  Currently British farmers are protected from potentially lower-priced eggs by tariffs.  It is estimated that compliance with U.K. welfare regulations impose an additional cost of nest-run production exceeding 15 percent compared to eggs derived from confined systems.

During the National Farmers’ Union Conference, the DEFRA Minister George Eustice commented on transportation of spent layers.  In the U.K., hens are processed and the Government is concerned over high DOAs that may be attributed to improper transport.  Farmers are concerned over proposals to prevent transport of any livestock when ambient temperature drops to 41F or exceeds 77F.  This arbitrary temperature requirement would disrupt depletion of farms, logistics and processing and would add to cost.