Caged egg rule change delayed in Victoria due to spread of bird flu
The spread of H5N1 bird flu is slowing down the rollout of tougher poultry regulations in Victoria.
The Victorian government has postponed the implementation of stricter poultry regulations by 12 months due to the ongoing H5N1 bird flu outbreak. Originally scheduled to take effect this year as part of a national agreement to phase out caged eggs by 2036, the new rules will now be delayed until the middle of 2027. The Victorian Farmers Federation has criticized the government for not consulting farmers on the new regulations, stating that the changes do not align with the farmers' beliefs regarding the positive impact of cage systems on bird and animal welfare.
The government maintains its commitment to the 2036 phase-out deadline, emphasizing that the delay is aimed at allowing producers to focus on preventing the spread of bird flu while developing new animal welfare standards.
Brief written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
