Mellie
Well-known member
http://www.guardian.co.uk/birdflu/story/0,,1824653,00.html
Bird flu fears threaten Christmas turkey shortage
James Meikle
Thursday July 20, 2006
The Guardian
Organic turkeys and geese might be in short supply this Christmas because farmers fear bird flu will return this autumn, it was claimed yesterday.
The organic sector's main research body said there was growing evidence producers had assumed the worst and chosen to abandon the business rather than risk ruin later.
The Elm Farm research centre in Newbury , Berkshire, which is campaigning for owners to be allowed to vaccinate their birds before flu arrives, said farmers did not want to invest in rearing birds only to find their outdoor production systems were forbidden or consumers scared off by further bird flu alarms.
Director Lawrence Woodward warned that shutting birds inside "signals the effective end of environmentally-friendly and sustainable poultry systems in the UK. It would be a catastrophe."
The task of rearing young birds for slaughter in early December should be well under way, supplying an increasingly popular seasonal niche market. Michael Turner, who used to raise 1,000 turkeys, 100 geese, 200 chickens and some ducks alongside his organic cattle and oats, wheat and barley, has given up on the poultry. "We thought there was too much at stake if there was an outbreak locally, perhaps in November. It could have serious implications for our Christmas sales," said Mr Turner, who farms at Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire.
The government has promised birds will retain organic status as long as they do not have to remain under cover for more than three months. But David King, its chief scientist, has said free range and organic poultry farming could come to an end if the disease takes hold in wild birds.
Bird flu fears threaten Christmas turkey shortage
James Meikle
Thursday July 20, 2006
The Guardian
Organic turkeys and geese might be in short supply this Christmas because farmers fear bird flu will return this autumn, it was claimed yesterday.
The organic sector's main research body said there was growing evidence producers had assumed the worst and chosen to abandon the business rather than risk ruin later.
The Elm Farm research centre in Newbury , Berkshire, which is campaigning for owners to be allowed to vaccinate their birds before flu arrives, said farmers did not want to invest in rearing birds only to find their outdoor production systems were forbidden or consumers scared off by further bird flu alarms.
Director Lawrence Woodward warned that shutting birds inside "signals the effective end of environmentally-friendly and sustainable poultry systems in the UK. It would be a catastrophe."
The task of rearing young birds for slaughter in early December should be well under way, supplying an increasingly popular seasonal niche market. Michael Turner, who used to raise 1,000 turkeys, 100 geese, 200 chickens and some ducks alongside his organic cattle and oats, wheat and barley, has given up on the poultry. "We thought there was too much at stake if there was an outbreak locally, perhaps in November. It could have serious implications for our Christmas sales," said Mr Turner, who farms at Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire.
The government has promised birds will retain organic status as long as they do not have to remain under cover for more than three months. But David King, its chief scientist, has said free range and organic poultry farming could come to an end if the disease takes hold in wild birds.