Animal Welfare Standards Public Consultation PO Box 5116 Braddon ACT 2612 BY EMAIL TO:
[email protected] Re: Response to the Proposed Draft Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry 26 February 2018 Prepared by Sarah de Wit, Tammi Jonas, Courtney Young Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance 1 CONTENTS 26 FEBRUARY 2018 1 ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN FOOD SOVEREIGNTY ALLIANCE (AFSA) 3 BACKGROUND 5 CONTEXT TO THE ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 5 CURRENT WELFARE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 6 PROPOSED STANDARDS AND OPTIONS 7 ISSUES WITH THE PROPOSED STANDARDS 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8 WHAT THE PROPOSED DRAFT MEANS FOR FARMERS 9 WHAT THE PROPOSED DRAFT MEANS FOR EATERS 9 WHAT THE PROPOSED DRAFT MEANS FOR POULTRY 9 WHAT AFSA MEMBERS WANT 9 LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS 10 IDENTIFIED ISSUES WITH THE PROPOSED STANDARDS 11 THE EXCLUSION OF ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS 11 INADEQUACY OF STUDIES USED 14 ‘SYSTEMIC COLLUSION’ AND FAILURE TO MEET COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS 17 HOUSING POULTRY IN CAGES 18 PROVISION OF LITTER AND DUST BATHS 22 PROVISION OF NESTS PERCHES AND LEVELS 23 FURNISHED CAGES 23 MAXIMUM STOCKING DENSITIES 24 STANDARDS ON BEAK AND BILL TRIMMING 25 STANDARDS ON STUNNING, SLAUGHTER AND ON-FARM KILLING 27 LIGHTING 29 INDUCED MOULTING 30 REGULATORY ISSUES 32 IMAGES OF PASTURED POULTRY 35 2 About the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA) The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA) is a collaboration of organisations and individuals working together towards a food system in which people can create, manage, and choose their food supply and distribution system. AFSA is an independent organisation and is not aligned with any political party.