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What consideration, if any, has he given to commercial impacts on poultry producers who are housing birds out of biosecurity necessity, including the implications for producers' ability to market eggs or poultry products as free range?

Answered Question 35466 (2026)
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Asked by

Jo Luxton

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • What consideration, if any, has he given to commercial impacts on poultry producers who are housing birds out of biosecurity necessity, including the implications for producers' ability to market eggs or poultry products as free range?

Answered by

Hon Andrew Hoggard

List MP · ACT Party · Minister for Biosecurity

Answer

Any move to house birds is being undertaken voluntarily by farmers as a precautionary step to protect their flocks from H5 bird flu, and is a temporary preventative measure at this stage. The Commerce Commission has provided guidance on Free Range Egg and Poultry Meat Claims During an Avian Influenza Outbreak. This is publicly available on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ website.