Latest news with #NAWAC
Scoop
01-07-2025
- General
- Scoop
Animal Rights Advocates Renew Calls To End Colony-Cage Egg Farms
, Producer/Presenter There are renewed calls from animal rights advocates for an end to colony-cage egg farms. The Open Wing Alliance, launched an international campaign about conditions in caged egg production farms which they said were harmful for chicken's welfare and created conditions that increased the risk of disease like avian influenza. However, the Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand rejected such claims as "a nonsense". Jennifer Dutton, of Animals Aotearoa which is part of the Open Wing Alliance, shared their concerns. She said colony cages weren't much better than battery, or conventional cages, which were phased out of use in New Zealand over 10 years by 2023. "New Zealanders are under the impression we don't have caged eggs and that's been deliberately cultivated," she said. "We still very much have the colony cage. Sometimes called the enriched cage." Dutton said she wanted an end to colony cages in New Zealand too. "When we look at birds that have been trapped in colony cages stacked up as if they are a product, you see birds that are massively missing feather patches, you see pale cones. They're totally deprived of all those natural in-built chicken behaviours, scratching in the dirt, foraging for bugs, even fully stretching out their wings." However, Michael Brooks of the Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand said colony egg farms were a "credible system". He said the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) "unanimously and independently" decided to allow egg producers to move to colony cages, barns and free-range systems after the ban of battery cages. "The height is higher, they have a nesting area, they have a scratch pad, and they have perches for every bird. And the three primary welfare behaviours of a layer hen are nesting, perching and scratching," he said. "Therefore that is one of the reasons there was support for the colony system. Combine that with the reduced risk from environmental reasons is one of the reasons it was approved by NAWAC." Of concerns raised about the potential spread of avian influenza in such set ups, he said it was "a nonsense". "Avian influenza is in the environment. It's actually our free range operations that are most at risk from avian influenza. It's not the colony sector that's going to be a major risk." Brooks said the federation and the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ) had been working closely with farmers, along with the Ministry for Primary Industries, to try and mitigate the risks of avian influenza spreading. MPI's director of compliance and response Glen Burrell said of the seven complaints received by the Ministry this year about the welfare of layer hens on commercial farms, no offending was found in six, with one case still being investigated. Burrell said following the ban of conventional, or battery cages, egg producers had the option to move to colony cages, barns and free-range systems. He said it was decided by NAWAC that colony cages and barns provided more space than battery cages, and enable hens to express normal behaviours such as perching, pecking, nesting, and scratching. NAWAC plans to review of the Code of Welfare for layer hens as part of its work programme. Meanwhile the Commerce Commission has opened a compliance project in relation to the labelling of colony-laid eggs.
Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Animal rights advocates renew calls to end colony-cage egg farms
By Gianina Schwanecke of RNZ There are renewed calls from animal rights advocates for an end to colony-cage egg farms. The Open Wing Alliance launched an international campaign about conditions in caged egg production farms which they said were harmful for chickens' welfare and created conditions that increased the risk of disease like avian influenza. However, the Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand rejected such claims as "a nonsense". Jennifer Dutton, of Animals Aotearoa, which is part of the Open Wing Alliance, shared their concerns. She said colony cages weren't much better than battery, or conventional cages, which were phased out of use in New Zealand over 10 years by 2023. "New Zealanders are under the impression we don't have caged eggs and that's been deliberately cultivated," she said. "We still very much have the colony cage. Sometimes called the enriched cage." Dutton said she wanted an end to colony cages in New Zealand too. "When we look at birds that have been trapped in colony cages stacked up as if they are a product, you see birds that are massively missing feather patches, you see pale cones. They're totally deprived of all those natural in-built chicken behaviours, scratching in the dirt, foraging for bugs, even fully stretching out their wings." However, Michael Brooks of the Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand said colony egg farms were a "credible system". He said the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) "unanimously and independently" decided to allow egg producers to move to colony cages, barns and free-range systems after the ban of battery cages. "The height is higher, they have a nesting area, they have a scratch pad, and they have perches for every bird. And the three primary welfare behaviours of a layer hen are nesting, perching and scratching," he said. "Therefore that is one of the reasons there was support for the colony system. Combine that with the reduced risk from environmental reasons is one of the reasons it was approved by NAWAC." Of concerns raised about the potential spread of avian influenza in such set-ups, he said it was "a nonsense". "Avian influenza is in the environment. It's actually our free-range operations that are most at risk from avian influenza. It's not the colony sector that's going to be a major risk." Brooks said the federation and the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ) had been working closely with farmers, along with the Ministry for Primary Industries, to try and mitigate the risks of avian influenza spreading. MPI's director of compliance and response Glen Burrell said of the seven complaints received by the ministry this year about the welfare of layer hens on commercial farms, no offending was found in six, with one case still being investigated. Burrell said following the ban of conventional, or battery cages, egg producers had the option to move to colony cages, barns and free-range systems. He said it was decided by NAWAC that colony cages and barns provided more space than battery cages, and enable hens to express normal behaviours such as perching, pecking, nesting, and scratching. NAWAC plans to review of the Code of Welfare for layer hens as part of its work programme. Meanwhile the Commerce Commission has opened a compliance project in relation to the labelling of colony-laid eggs.
Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Renewed calls to end colony-cage egg farms
By Gianina Schwanecke of RNZ There are renewed calls from animal rights advocates for an end to colony-cage egg farms. The Open Wing Alliance launched an international campaign about conditions in caged egg production farms which they said were harmful for chickens' welfare and created conditions that increased the risk of disease like avian influenza. However, the Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand rejected such claims as "a nonsense". Jennifer Dutton, of Animals Aotearoa, which is part of the Open Wing Alliance, shared their concerns. She said colony cages weren't much better than battery, or conventional cages, which were phased out of use in New Zealand over 10 years by 2023. "New Zealanders are under the impression we don't have caged eggs and that's been deliberately cultivated," she said. "We still very much have the colony cage. Sometimes called the enriched cage." Dutton said she wanted an end to colony cages in New Zealand too. "When we look at birds that have been trapped in colony cages stacked up as if they are a product, you see birds that are massively missing feather patches, you see pale cones. They're totally deprived of all those natural in-built chicken behaviours, scratching in the dirt, foraging for bugs, even fully stretching out their wings." However, Michael Brooks of the Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand said colony egg farms were a "credible system". He said the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) "unanimously and independently" decided to allow egg producers to move to colony cages, barns and free-range systems after the ban of battery cages. "The height is higher, they have a nesting area, they have a scratch pad, and they have perches for every bird. And the three primary welfare behaviours of a layer hen are nesting, perching and scratching," he said. "Therefore that is one of the reasons there was support for the colony system. Combine that with the reduced risk from environmental reasons is one of the reasons it was approved by NAWAC." Of concerns raised about the potential spread of avian influenza in such set-ups, he said it was "a nonsense". "Avian influenza is in the environment. It's actually our free-range operations that are most at risk from avian influenza. It's not the colony sector that's going to be a major risk." Brooks said the federation and the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ) had been working closely with farmers, along with the Ministry for Primary Industries, to try and mitigate the risks of avian influenza spreading. MPI's director of compliance and response Glen Burrell said of the seven complaints received by the ministry this year about the welfare of layer hens on commercial farms, no offending was found in six, with one case still being investigated. Burrell said following the ban of conventional, or battery cages, egg producers had the option to move to colony cages, barns and free-range systems. He said it was decided by NAWAC that colony cages and barns provided more space than battery cages, and enable hens to express normal behaviours such as perching, pecking, nesting, and scratching. NAWAC plans to review of the Code of Welfare for layer hens as part of its work programme. Meanwhile the Commerce Commission has opened a compliance project in relation to the labelling of colony-laid eggs.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
SAFE: Proposed Welfare Code Betrays Animals And The Law
SAFE is demanding that the Ministry for Primary Industries' proposed Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle be scrapped, calling it a legal shield for cruelty that fails to meet even the most basic obligations under the Animal Welfare Act 1999. The animal rights organisation says the code legitimises inherently harmful practices - including mud farming, feedlots, and painful procedures like castration and tail docking without pain relief - while continuing to allow animals to suffer without access to shelter. "If this code is accepted in its current form, it would effectively become a manual for animal cruelty," says SAFE CEO Debra Ashton. SAFE warns that the code is not an isolated failure, but a symptom of a broken regulatory system that routinely favours industry convenience over animals' needs, experiences, and rights. "We've engaged in good faith for years, but this draft proves the system can't be trusted. It's time to draw a line," says Ashton. The organisation has written to NAWAC Chair Dr Matthew Stone, MPI Director of Animal Health and Welfare Carolyn Guy, Minister for Agriculture Todd McClay, and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard, urging them to abandon the draft and take urgent action to address these systemic failures. "It's a betrayal of our welfare law and the animals it's meant to protect." SAFE's full statement reads: Proposed Code of Welfare Entrenches Cruelty and Undermines Animal Welfare Law The proposed Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle, currently open for public consultation, represents a profound failure of New Zealand's animal welfare system. Rather than lifting standards or upholding the Animal Welfare Act 1999, this code would entrench practices that cause widespread suffering - including painful procedures without pain relief, intensive confinement in mud farms and feedlots, and a diluted shelter standard that puts animals' lives at risk in extreme weather. SAFE rejects the premise that this code provides meaningful guidance for compliance with the Animal Welfare Act. It does not. Instead, it offers legal cover to inherently harmful farming systems and practices that cause serious and avoidable suffering. For that reason, SAFE will not be participating in the consultation process for a code that attempts to sanitise cruelty. When animals are confined on mud farms, concrete, or barren feedlots, they are stripped of their most basic expressions of life - grazing, playing, resting comfortably, ruminating, and relating to one another. These are not abstract ideals, but the everyday needs of sheep and cattle. Codes of welfare are intended to support our animal welfare legislation -- not undermine it. If this code is adopted, it will set a dangerous precedent: where cruelty is legitimised, public expectations are ignored, and the intent of the Animal Welfare Act is effectively nullified. This failure is not isolated. In 2023, the Regulations Review Committee recommended a prompt and substantive review of how secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act is developed - and whether existing instruments, particularly codes of welfare, are consistent with the purpose and intent of the Act. Almost two years have passed without action. It must now be prioritised to ensure that regulation genuinely reflects the law and protects the animals it exists to serve. SAFE is calling for the proposed Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle to be scrapped. The code must be rewritten in full alignment with the Animal Welfare Act -- not shaped to prioritise profit, productivity, or convenience over animals' wellbeing and legal rights. We urge the Government and the public to reject this code and demand a future where animal welfare law is not just symbolic but lived. It's time to build a system that reflects what the Animal Welfare Act already affirms: that animals are not merely commodities to be managed, but sentient beings with needs, feelings, experiences, and intrinsic worth. Notes The Ministry for Primary Industries is accepting public submissions on the Sheep and Beef Cattle Code of Welfare from May 14 - July 15, 2025. In July 2023, following multiple complaints on the integrity of codes of welfare, the Regulations Review Committee recommended a prompt and substantive review of the process for developing secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act.
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
New welfare code for sheep and beef cattle proposed
After milking the sheep are put out to fresh pasture to graze. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) is seeking feedback on a revised code of welfare for sheep and beef cattle. NAWAC is an independent group which advises the government on animal welfare issues. The draft code proposes several updates to minimum standards and recommendations for best practice, and includes a ban on using electric cattle prods. Chairperson Dr Matt Stone said this followed best practice overseas and few farmers used the electro-immobilisation devices these days anyway. "The majority of farmers no longer use this method, and we feel there are better alternatives out there that are highly effective." Among other key changes are the introduction of dairy sheep standards, which Dr Stone described as a "growing industry". "That's a brand new section in the code that obviously draws from industry experience but also apply sort of let's call them hybrid settings between some for the settings we might see in the dairy cattle code but then of course also related to sheep husbandry." There would also be new minimum standards for animals in off-paddock facilities and feedlots, and ensuring sheep and beef cattle have the opportunity to express natural behaviours. This included contingency planning, which Dr Stone said was especially "topical" given multiple adverse weather events across New Zealand in recent years. "[They] describe the responsibilities of farmers and people in charge of animals in relation to contingency planning for adverse weather events, but also for infrastructure failures such as critical infrastructure on farm automated feeding systems, these types of things , or a fire or other natural disaster." Beef + Lamb New Zealand chairperson Kate Acland said the draft appeared to take a "balanced approach" to ensuring stock owners ensure the welfare of the animals in their care. "Based on our initial analysis of the updated Code, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee should be commended for considering on-farm practicality, and for showing their reasoning, in setting out the standards that must be achieved." The new proposals take into account new technologies and updated science, she said. Pain relief during animal husbandry procedures such as docking or tailing has been recommended as best practice rather than a minimum standard, and the standards around shade and shelter appear sensible and achievable. Acland said some areas though may need a closer look, such as ensuring unweaned lambs being prepared for transport have been fed within a specified period. "As farmers, we pride ourselves on how we look after the animals in our care." In addition to seeking views from sheep and beef farmers and others affected by the changes, Dr Stone said NAWAC was encouraging feedback from animal advocates and the public. "We welcome a wide range of perspectives on the proposed changes to ensure the code is practical and delivers good animal welfare outcomes." More information can be found on the Ministry for Primary Industries website . Consultation closes on 15 July.
