Winter 2017 AnIMAL WELFArE Farm gate to plate Poultry farms must ensure they follow the rules when it comes to supplying the birds that will be the centrepiece of many a familys table on 25 December Christmas is the busiest time of the year for poultry producers that supply fresh birds from the farm gate. More than two million turkeys are slaughtered in the uK every december as the build-up to the festive season gathers pace, and it is important that those who seasonal slaughter comply with the Welfare of Animals at the time of Killing (WAtoK) rules. Most farms rearing and slaughtering turkeys for the Christmas trade will be classified as small-scale suppliers and must follow the laws relevant to smallscale production to ensure the welfare of the birds is not compromised. Failure to comply with the WATOK rules can, if you are convicted, lead to expensive fines and/ or imprisonment You must have either a WAtoK licence or a certificate of competency to carry out any of the relevant operations of: n Restraining animals for stunning or killing n Stunning animals n Assessing if stunning has worked n Shackling or hoisting live animals n Bleeding live animals n pithing of a stunned animal and checking this is effective the slaughter of birds must take place close to where they are reared and must avoid unnecessary handling of the poultry. outside of a slaughterhouse approved by the Food Standards Agency, licensing of slaughterpeople is done by the Animal and plant Health Agency. You must be aged 18 or over to get a WAtoK licence, and the cost of an application for a slaughter licence is 25. You will need an assessment by a veterinary officer, which costs 76 for the first 30 minutes and 21 for each additional 30 minutes thereafter. You must also pay any costs for the vet to travel to your location. Failure to comply with the WAtoK rules can, if you are convicted, lead to expensive fines and/or imprisonment. if someone is also found to be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, action may be taken to seek a disqualification order from the courts, to prevent that person from owning or keeping animals. So it is important that anyone involved in the handling of live animals during the slaughter process is licensed appropriately or holds a certificate of competence. Click here for further information on licensing and certificates of competence. Credit: Steph Young, Images: istock / Tomos Edwards / visual7 paper chain key to proving provenance Traders have a legal responsibility to ensure the products they sell are safe and that the consumer is protected from fraudulent trading. The sale of food is no different. Animals are being stolen for slaughter and processing outside of regulated abattoirs, the report continues, before illegally entering the food chain. Whether its the traditional turkey on your Christmas dinner plate or the vegetables that accompany it, the law requires the origins of our food to be traceable. In recent years, local authorities have noted a rise in the slaughter and processing of meat products in premises not approved for the purpose. Such practices are illegal and likely to compromise animal health and welfare rules; they also give rise to public health concerns from unhygienic practices. European regulation 178/2002 lays down the general principles for food safety and food law; particularly, it requires that the traceability of food, feed, food-producing animals, and any other substance intended to be or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed shall be established at all stages of production, processing and distribution. The nFus Rural Crime Report for 2017 states that livestock thefts cost the uK economy more than 2m each year. Stringent government controls are in place to ensure meat derived from animals is health marked and fit for human consumption. For instance, farmers must supply food-chain information when they submit animals for slaughter. This document details any illness, disease or medication to which the animal may have been exposed that could affect human or animal health adversely. Such controls ensure the food we eat is safe, that there is traceability, and that any parts not intended for human consumption are disposed of safely and do not cause a disease threat to the uK. Food and feed business operators must be able to identify any person from whom they have bought products. When buying from a supplier, traders need to be confident that any meat sold has come from a legitimate source and that there is full traceability on where the product originated. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 places a responsibility on traders to have professional diligence. This includes exercising a reasonable standard of skill and care towards the consumer over the traceability of products that is commensurate to honest market practice. Having a reputable, trustworthy supplier is paramount to achieving this. For further information, please contact your local trading Standards Service