The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3070 (W.264)) to implement Council Directive 2007/43/EC laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production (OJ No L 182, 12.7.07, p.19).

The amendments to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2007 are as follows.

Regulation 2 (definitions and interpretation provision) is amended, including the insertion of definitions of “conventionally reared meat chicken” (which covers chickens kept for meat production, except for those on holdings with fewer than 500 chickens or with only breeding stocks, which are on hatcheries, or which are barn-reared, free range or organically-produced), “food business operator” and “stocking density” (regulation 3).

Regulation 5 (additional duties on persons responsible) is amended to provide that persons responsible for conventionally reared meat chickens are required to comply with Part 2 of a new Schedule 5A (regulation 4).

A new regulation 5A is added which gives effect to Part 3 of the new Schedule 5A (regulation 5).

Failure to comply with the requirements of Part 2 of Schedule 5A is an offence, and regulation 7 (offences) is amended to provide for an offence in relation to breach of paragraph 14(2) of Schedule 5A (regulation 6).

Schedule 1 (general conditions under which farmed animals must be kept) is amended to include provisions relating to conventionally reared meat chickens (regulation 7).

A Schedule 5A is added, which sets out additional conditions that relate to conventionally reared meat chickens (regulation 8).

A regulatory impact assessment of the effect of this instrument on the costs of business has been prepared and is available from the Welsh Assembly Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NQ.