SINGAPORE: No foodstuff protection issues, nor evidence of poor living situations for poultry, have been observed at homegrown egg farm Chew’s Agriculture, reported the Singapore Food items Company (SFA) on Thursday (Jan 28), following a criticism against the producer.
The criticism towards Chew’s Agriculture experienced appear from a “consumer safety organisation”, Equitas World, which explained it experienced video footage showing “chickens packed in little cages, uniformed personnel grabbing birds by the neck, and cages coated with dirt” at the farm.
In response to queries by CNA, SFA explained it licenses and routinely inspects rooster egg farms.
“As portion of SFA’s food items safety checking, samples of h2o, feed, swabs from the poultry residences, as nicely as eggs are consistently taken for testing.
“There has been no food items safety problems detected consequently considerably. SFA also has not noticed any evidence of inadequate residing situations for the poultry.”
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But in see of the feedback received, SFA explained it would keep on to examine and check on the farm. Chew’s Agriculture provides Singapore with a lot more than 255.5 million eggs a year.
With the grievance and video clip footage, Equitas stated it experienced hoped to connect with “attention to possible meals protection challenges and animal welfare troubles at the facility”.
Its spokesperson Bonnie Tang added that the organisation was “committed to highlighting the hazards of caged egg output for buyers and animals”.
CHEW’S AGRICULTURE REBUTS CLAIMS
In reaction, Chew’s Agriculture explained the videos had been taken at their prior facility “built decades ago”.
“That facility has due to the fact ceased output and shut in September 2020. We have developed a new condition-of-the-artwork modern day facility which produces and provides all our eggs because Oct 2020,” it claimed.
It added that this new facility and its devices were “thoroughly inspected” by SFA, and that the farm had “always met SFA’s conditions and conventional of sale (of eggs) for human consumption”.
Chew’s Agriculture also explained it has been a member of a certification programme, concentrating on humane therapy of farm animals, since 2019.
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Nevertheless, it acknowledged that there are “aspects of (its) farm’s animal dealing with techniques which (it) could strengthen on” and explained it is “constantly earning development in these aspects”.
In addition, the farm explained it is on monitor to doubling its cage-free egg production by 2022 – from manufacturing 25,000 to 30,000 cage-free eggs each and every working day, to 60,000 a day.
This would increase its cage-cost-free egg generation from 5 for each cent to close to 8 for each cent of its general manufacturing, the farm told CNA.
The relaxation of the eggs are made utilizing “conventional rearing systems”.
“This is a reflection of our powerful motivation to a humane foods creation which satisfies international standards. We are thoroughly devoted to go on expanding our cage-absolutely free egg generation as our consumers’ and customers’ need continue to improve,” said Chew’s.
DAIRY FARM Team “COMMITTED” TO ANIMAL WELFARE Issues
Chew’s Agriculture materials eggs to the Dairy Farm Team, which operates supermarket chains Huge and Cold Storage.
In its launch, Equitas International had also identified as on the team to change its coverage on the sort of eggs it sells.
“It’s time for Dairy Farm to catch up with global stores and set an previously timeline for ending the sale of all eggs from caged hens,” claimed Equitas’ Ms Tang.
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In response to queries from CNA, a Dairy Farm spokesperson mentioned the team was fully commited to tackling animal welfare concerns throughout its companies.
“Since April 2020, we have founded a potent partnership with Humane Modern society International (HSI) to strengthen and shift behaviour throughout our offer chain for laying hens and other animal-sourced products and solutions throughout Asia.”
The group also said the path to supporting advancement in the conditions of laying hens is two-fold.
The first is to function with its suppliers to guidance modifications in their functions that align with increased benchmarks of animal welfare and cage-free of charge offer, explained the spokesperson.
The 2nd action is to assist prospects recognise the advantages of ethically sourced eggs, and to deliver them with a broader selection of egg items.
“As a first stage of motivation, we are investing in and launching a new benefit array of cage free of charge eggs under our Meadows Model in Hong Kong and Singapore in 2021, and we seem ahead to sharing that news with everybody quickly,” explained Dairy Farm’s spokesperson.