Following advice from the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (CCEAD), poultry producers are being encouraged to strengthen on-farm biosecurity, including considering the temporary housing of free-range birds. This is a precautionary recommendation only and is not a mandatory housing order.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has confirmed its guidance on free-range egg and meat labelling only automatically applies when a government housing order is in place. Where birds are housed in response to government or Chief Veterinary Officer advice, the ACCC says it will apply its compliance and enforcement discretion on a case-by-case basis. Producers should also be prepared to use alternative labelling if eggs or meat are produced from housed birds.
The current recommendation is temporary while authorities continue to assess the distribution and risk of the virus.
The risk to human health remains low and anyone who sees sick or dead birds should avoid contact and report them to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.