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If you are considering becoming a commercial egg or chicken meat producer, you must abide by the State and Commonwealth Acts and Regulations relevant to your business regardless of the type of production system (organic, free to range, barn) you choose. A non exhaustive list of Acts and Regulations is provided below. It is your responsibility to comply with the regulations that pertain to your particular business. Ignorance of the law is not a defence against prosecution.
The Acts and Regulations cover disease control, food health and safety, the environment (odour and noise emissions), water, the sale of food products, agricultural chemicals, veterinary chemicals, poultry manure and animal welfare. Acts and Regulations are available from the State Law Publisher.
Egg production
Egg producers do not need to obtain a licence - the egg industry was deregulated on 2 July 2005. However, if you are going to sell eggs, you must comply with egg labelling guidelines and regulations. Further information is available in the Producer Resources section on the Australian Egg Corporation website.
Chicken meat production
Any person wanting to supply broiler chickens to a processor must have their premises approved by the Chicken Meat Industry Committee. This and other requirements are set out in the Western Australian Chicken Meat Industry Act (1977) available from the State Law Publisher.
Changes to this Act plus changes to the specified amount to be paid by processors for broiler chickens under section 16(6)(b) of the Act are noted in the Government Gazette.
General information
The Department of Agriculture and Food has responsibility for animal health (disease prevention, surveillance and eradication or control) and chemical residues. Acts and regulations administered by the Department that are relevant to poultry producers include:
-
Enzootic Diseases Regulations
-
Exotic Diseases of Animals Act, 1993
- Stock Diseases (Regulations) Act 1968
Restricted Animal Material
Poultry and egg producers should ensure poultry feed and poultry litter are not fed to ruminants, (animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and deer) as this is important in ensuring that Australia can continue to demonstrate freedom from Bovine Spongioform Encephalitis (BSE), and for the protection of vital export markets. Read Chicken Litter and BSE Freedom Assurance for further information.
Poultry diseases
- Newcastle disease
- Control of infectious diseases in poultry
- Exotic diseases in poultry
- Coccidiosis
- Avian influenza
Chemical management
Eradication and control of emergency avian diseases
Representatives from the avian industries worked with the Department of Agriculture and Food to identify the major threats to their industries and to develop action plans detailing how these threats will be managed. Issues such as who would deal with the eradication and management of an emergency avian disease and how an eradication process would be funded are detailed in the Avian Stockguard documents.
Animal Health Australia (AHA) manages national animal health programs for Australia’s animal industries. A major role is to ensure that the animal industries are prepared to manage an outbreak of an emergency animal disease. In conjunction with industry, plans have been developed to respond to outbreaks of Newcastle disease and exotic diseases such as avian influenza (AusVetPlan). Poultry and egg producers should make sure they are aware of their requirements under these plans.
Health
- Stickfast fleas: control and eradication
- Keeping chickens in the backyard
Other Acts and Regulations:
You should also contact your local Shire or Council office as different jurisdictions have different requirements for keeping of production animals.
|
Issue |
Statute and Regulatory Agency |
|
Animal welfare - includes information on space requirements. |
Code of Practice for Poultry in Western Australia (2003)
Department of Local Government and Regional Development |
|
Transporting poultry (load size and containment)
Transporting poultry (animal welfare)
|
Road Traffic Act, 1994
Code of Practice For The Transportation of Poultry in Western Australia (2003) |
|
Agricultural and veterinary chemicals |
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994 Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |
|
Use, storage, handling and disposal of pesticides |
Health (Pesticides) Regulations, 1956 |
|
Storage of fuels, solvent, explosive and dangerous goods |
Dangerous Goods Safety Act, 2004 |
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Farm model and activities |
Chicken Meat Industry Act, 1977 |
|
Environment |
Environmental Code of Practice for Poultry Farms in Western Australia (May 2004). Environmental Management and Cleaner Production Directory for Small and Medium Businesses: A guide to pollution prevention (April 2005)
Department of Environment and Conservation Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 |
|
Odour emissions
|
Odour Methodology Guideline (2002) |
|
Noise emissions
|
Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations, 1997 |
|
NPI substance emissions, i.e. ammonia |
Environmental Protection (NEPMNPI) Regulations, 1998 |
|
Licence to take surface water and groundwater |
Rights in Water and Irrigation Act, 1914 |
|
Development in Public Drinking Water Source Areas |
Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage (MWSS & D) Act, 1909 or |
|
Approval for developments that may affect the Swan - Canning estuary |
Swan River Trust Act, 1988 |
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Impact on the values and ecology of land or natural waters |
Environmental Protection Act, 1986 |
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Registration of offensive trades; handling of poultry manure |
Health Act, 1911 (as amended) |
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Sale, supply and use of poultry manure |
Health (Poultry Manure) Regulations, 2001 |
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Safety in the workplace - Worksafe |
Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1984 |
|
Food standards |
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code |
|
Weights and measurement
|
Department of Consumer and Employment Protection |
|
Food hygiene and safety |
Health (Meat Hygiene) Regulations 2001 Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations 1993 Health (ANZ Food Standards Code Adoption) Regulations 2001 |
|
Subdivision of land |
Town Planning and Development Act, 1928 |
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Land zoning and development approval - Your local Shire or Council |
Town Planning and Development Act, 1928
|
|
Land use planning |
Statement of Planning Policy No. 4.3: Poultry Farms Policy (June 2004) |