Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    3. June 2025
    4. 2025 Innovation supplement
    5. May 2025
    6. April 2025
    7. March 2025
    8. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    9. February 2025
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    20. June 2024
    21. 2024 Innovation supplement
    22. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    23. May 2024
    24. April 2024
    25. March 2024
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    31. October 2023
    32. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    33. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    By Chloe RyanJuly 1, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    June 9, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
Health & Welfare

Proposed US organic standards draw heavy industry criticism

Colin LeyBy Colin LeyJuly 15, 20163 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

The US-based National Chicken Council (NCC) has warned the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) that its plan to introduce new organic production standards presents “grave risks” to animal health and undermines ongoing efforts to develop global poultry welfare standards.

The NCC warning is contained in a 10-page letter to the USDA, prompted by the publication in April this year of the department’s proposed National Organic Programme (NOP).

Having studied the contents of NOP, the council has now objected to “several” key aspects of the plan (or rule, as it is described by the USDA), including serious concerns about how organic production units should deal with an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

The NCC stated, in fact, that it views the plan as being in direct opposition to the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recommendations for biosecurity.

“In light of the recent (2015), devastating outbreak of HPAI, it is vital farmers retain the ability to make timely preventive measures to protect their flocks,” said the NCC. “Under the proposed rule, however, a ‘documented occurrence of a disease in the region or relevant migratory pathway must be present before outdoor access can be restricted’, with unclear definitions of what constitutes a region or documented occurrence.”

The NCC letter, signed by the council’s senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, Dr Ashley Peterson, also stated that the proposed rule drastically underestimates, or neglects to estimate, the cost of the requirements and the impact of those costs.

“NOP does not include the cost of an avian illness outbreak,” said the NCC, adding that the likelihood and magnitude of an outbreak is materially increased through the proposed outdoor access requirements contained in the proposed rule.

“In other words, avian illness outbreaks like the 2015 HPAI outbreak will be more likely to occur, and the effects will be more likely to be greater, under the proposal. The direct economic consequences of the 2015 HPAI outbreak were estimated to be approximately $3.3 billion (£2.5bn), far overshadowing the anticipated maximum benefit of $62.6 million (£46.9m) per year in the proposed rule.”

In addition, on the issue of the rule’s impact on the development of global welfare standards, the NCC stated that it is concerned that establishing new animal welfare expectations, through the guise of organic production standards, risks moving the US out of alignment with the poultry welfare framework currently being developed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

Access full NCC letter

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleAndrea Leadsom is the new Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary
Next Article Farmers warned that Brexit adds volatility to agricultural markets
Colin Ley

Read Similar Stories

Health & Welfare

Comment: Why I still believe the Better Chicken Commitment has a future

July 14, 20254 Mins Read
Health & Welfare

EFSA warns of bird migration and US imports pathways for AI into Europe

July 11, 20252 Mins Read
Health & Welfare

Tackling red mite

July 4, 20254 Mins Read
Latest News

Comment: Why I still believe the Better Chicken Commitment has a future

July 14, 2025

Comment: A cautious welcome for Defra’s spending plans

July 14, 2025

EFSA warns of bird migration and US imports pathways for AI into Europe

July 11, 2025
Sponsored Content

Navigating Sustainability in Egg Production: Practical Steps for Producers

June 1, 2025

Maintain stable and continuous coccidiosis control amidst stocking density reductions

November 1, 2024
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.