Farming Today

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Magazines & Reviews

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

The latest news about food, farming and the countryside

BBC Radio 4 FM

Farming Today: 21/03/22 No more free range eggs, lamb industry update

farming-today_monday_1211_getty.jpg

21/03/22 No more free range eggs, lamb industry update

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 21/03/22 No more free range eggs, lamb industry update

As of today, no more free range eggs on our shelves.

From today free range eggs are no longer free range.  This is all to do with the restrictions imposed across the UK because of avian flu. They mean that all birds must be kept inside as the disease is usually passed from wild migrating birds flying above the commercial flocks. For the past 16 weeks a grace period has meant that free range chickens, and their eggs, have kept that label, even though the hens are no longer ranging free, but that comes to an end today.

There are around 45,000 sheep farms in the UK, which range in size from just a handful of animals to several thousand. In all there are about 15 million ewes in the UK and the industry is worth £1.3 billion.  As part of this week's focus on the lamb industry, we get the latest from the National Sheep Association on trade, trees and morale.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Farming Today

21/03/22 No more free range eggs, lamb industry update

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4