Poultry Farmers in North-East England Fear Public Concern Over Bird Flu

Poultry farmers in North-East England are sounding the alarm about the potential economic impact of bird flu, as public concern over the disease grows. With bio-security measures in place, farmers are worried that if the public avoids eating poultry products, their businesses could be severely affected. The Government has assured the public that there is no known risk of infection from eating properly cooked poultry, but farmers in other EU countries have seen significant drops in sales following confirmed cases of the H5N1 strain.

Key Takeaways:

• Poultry farmers in North-East England are concerned that public fear over bird flu could lead to a significant drop in sales, potentially crippling their businesses.
• Large farms in the region are already using bio-security measures, including disinfectant foot-baths and sprays, to prevent the spread of disease.
• The Government has stated that there is no known risk of infection from eating properly cooked poultry, but farmers in other EU countries with confirmed cases have seen sales plummet.
• Since the outbreak in France, poultry sales have dropped by 40%, and in Germany, sales have fallen by 30% (£99m loss to the industry).
• Farmers have expressed concerns about the potential economic impact of bird flu, but are also hopeful that the measures in place will prevent an outbreak in England.
• Defra and the Government have been praised for setting up robust measures against the disease, following the lessons learned from the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
• Two farmers, George Tulip and David Maughan, have spoken out about their concerns and the measures they are taking to protect their businesses.

Statistics:

• 40% drop in poultry sales in France since the outbreak of bird flu.
• 30% drop in poultry sales in Germany, resulting in a £99m loss to the industry.
• 30,000 birds have been culled in Germany.
• 16,500 is the number of free-range chickens kept by David Maughan at his farm in Darlington.
• 70,000 is the number of birds kept by George Tulip at Burnopfield, County Durham.

Sources:

• "Poultry farmers fear bird flu could hit their businesses hard" - source not specified.