Chicken welfare talks collapse

COMPASSION in World Farming (CIWF) yesterday said it was dismayed to learn that talks aimed at securing an EU-wide directive to protect the welfare of chickens reared for meat (broilers) have collapsed.

It said the breakdown was caused by the refusal of France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia to agree to a package of welfare reforms. CIWF Ireland director Mary-Anne Bartlett said the collapse of these talks means that over five billion broiler chickens reared each year in the EU will not be protected by a directive that lays down animal welfare standards for chicken farms.