ENBA and EHNE have called for the fight against avian influenza with "scientific rigour" rather than "political measures"
Farmers' associations believe that the closure of the production system in the Basque Country, "largely rural, static and ecological", poses a "risk of disease spread".
ENBA and EHNE farmers' and livestock unions have asked the institutions of Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa to act with "scientific rigour" in the management of avian influenzaand to stop proposing "political measures" .
In a statement, they have stated that they believe that "non-constant management" of this matter has been carried out so far and have been "surprised" by the "refusal of the Basque Administration to address this issue directly "with them, and have called on the entire sector (professional agricultural organizations and poultry cooperatives) to call on the working tables, as well as to provide society, "with adequate scientific support", with information on the benefits of the poultry production system in the Basque Country ".
On Monday, the Basque Government and the three Member States met with representatives of the poultry sector, at which they discussed the Ministry's mandate for poultry farms and agreed that, in certain cases, it will be possible to removebirds for a certain period of time, always, in order to prevent contagion, on farms where systems are in place to prevent contact with wild birds.
ENBA and EHNE explain that inthe Basque Country most farms are "extensive or ecological systems of rural production" that guarantee the outsourcing of chickens, which are least affected by avian influenza.
They also ensure that the sector "has long been involved in preventive measures", such as feeding animals inside, preventing people from entering and changing clothing and footwear to work on farms.
Therefore, in the opinion of the two associations , a confinement " would only increase the risk of disease "because the birds" do not get used to the interior. "They add that the confinement will cause" pododermatitis, mutual pecking and stress "for the chickens and increase the difficulty of cleaning the hens for the workers.
With regard to the installation of protective nets on meadows, ENBA and EHNE consider it 'unworkable' because of the cost, the climatic conditions of the CSC and the impossibility of cutting grass or accessing the tractor.
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