What we think
Life can be good for British free range hens
The hens we want to help are intrinsically linked to the farmer who keeps them. In order to help the hens we need to understand what makes the farmers tick, why they keep hens as they do and learn how we can help make a positive difference.
Farmers keep hens to make a living and the UK egg industry is worth billions of pounds each year.
They operate within a global market place and we currently import eggs from several countries within the EU and import egg derivatives from countries outside the EU.
Farmers respond to consumer demand and for decades consumers have put cost above welfare, which has led to 16 million hens laying cheap eggs for us in their tiny cages.
Our whole ethos is based on positive campaigning and as a result of our pioneering work increasing numbers of consumers now want high welfare as well as high quality. Our positive impact has seen free range production grow into one of the most successful sectors of British agriculture and it is anticipated that by 2012 nearly half of all British laying hens will have access to outdoors.
This supportive relationship between farmer and consumer can be illustrated well by one example. Hellmanns mayonnaise used to contain eggs from caged hens, but following our positive campaign asking the company to produce a free range alternative, Hellmanns now use eggs from free range hens in their mayonnaise and their policy change has resulted in millions of hens being given the opportunity to enjoy life outside as well as giving farmers an opportunity to develop their business. Proof that working together can really benefit everyone involved, not least the hen.
ALL farmers rely on us, the consumer, to support their livelihood and setting up free range systems requires investment of tens of thousands of pounds.
If we want to see more free range hens, we need to support our Great British farmers who are prepared to invest, and reassure them we will not opt for cheap foreign imports where regulations and constraints are often lighter, but welfare is out of our control.
