We think it is important that consumers have the highest level of confidence in the eggs that they use.  Our updated Code of Practice meets the rigorous requirements within the UK Food Standards Agency's new safety standards for eggs. Our scheme ensures a very low risk of Salmonella and gives Laid in Britain producers the framework to maintain their flawless record of freedom from Salmonella in eggs. The updated Code has been designed to be practical and effective and achievable for any size of producer.

This Code of Practice is primarily designed to ensure high standards of food safety and minimise the risk of Salmonella infection in people through contaminated eggs. The Code has been written with reference to the principles, requirements and recommendations laid out in the Food Standards Agency document; “A matrix of control measures needed to be considered ‘very low’ risk for Salmonella in shell eggs."

In addition, this Code is also designed to ensure high standards of animal welfare and environmental protection.

This Code should be read in conjunction with all relevant legislation relating to the production and marketing of eggs.

The Code will be reviewed regularly to consider changes in legislation and recommendations by the FSA.

Prior to joining the Laid in Britain assurance scheme, all producers must be audited to this Code and compliance assessed. Any non-compliances must be rectified before acceptance to the scheme.

Ongoing, all producers will be robustly audited on an annual basis by an independent and suitably trained auditor. Any critical non-compliance will result in immediate suspension from the scheme, until rectified and verified. Any non-critical non-compliance must be rectified in a timescale agreed with the scheme. Critical non-compliances are highlighted in red in the Code and listed in Annex D.

In addition to the critical non-compliances, any producer who fails to have a robust protocol for traceability and recall, as per Annex B, will be immediately suspended from the scheme.

In this code, the following definitions are used.

Bio-secure or production area includes the poultry houses, egg packing and handling areas, feed stores, range area (if applicable), loading and unloading areas for vehicles and areas immediately around the buildings. The perimeter of the area must be clearly defined, e.g. hedge, fence, marked concrete, plastic barrier chain, etc.

Farm or holding is the area that the Bio-secure area is located in and could include managers / owners dwelling, other buildings, other land or other livestock.

Any producer having more than one flock within the same farm or holding must ensure all flocks are registered and comply with this Code or another scheme that has been evaluated and met the criteria defined by the FSA.

In the event of the Scheme Veterinary Surgeon being unavailable, all decisions relevant to this code are to be taken in conjunction with the Laid in Britain office and an experienced poultry vet.