Denmark wants to ban ‘turbo chickens’
"They simply grow too fast for their bodies to keep up," said the animal welfare minister.
Denmark's government plans to ban fast-growing "turbo chickens," sparking a potential conflict with the farming industry over animal welfare. Danish Animal Welfare Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen expressed concern over the rapid growth of Ross 308 breed chickens, which grow too quickly for their bodies to support properly. Madsen aims to implement the ban at both the national and EU levels, following a documentary that exposed illegal practices on a chicken farm, such as providing chickens only three hours of darkness daily to hasten growth.
While the proposal enjoys broad support, questions remain about its legal and financial implications. Chicken sector advocates argue that consumers might simply purchase meat from foreign farms, hindering Danish farmers' competitiveness. Danpo, a poultry company, stated readiness to switch away from fast-growing breeds if the ban extends to imports, though this could be problematic under EU rules.
Denmark has previously sought to impose EU-wide restrictions on turbo chickens, but prior attempts at a nationwide ban stalled. The Dutch government is considering a similar ban, and the European Commission intends to release new welfare rules for chickens later this year, which may include breed-specific restrictions.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
