Free‑range turkey and goose producers north of the border got certainty this morning. Scotland has scrapped the 12‑week rule that forced relabelling during bird‑flu housing orders, with the change taking legal effect on Friday 7 November after Ministers signed the regulations on Thursday. The measure was signed by Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie and cleared by Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in September.

What’s changed in law is precise. The Scottish instrument tweaks Annex V of Commission Regulation (EC) 543/2008 on poultrymeat marketing standards, inserting the word “temporarily” to make clear any housing is short‑term for public or animal health, and deleting the line that previously capped ‘free‑range’ labelling at 12 weeks during restrictions. In practice, if birds otherwise meet free‑range rules, the label can stay for the entire period of a housing order.

Why it matters to the North: housing measures are already in place across large parts of northern, central and eastern England after late‑October avian influenza cases. With cross‑border supply runs routine, removing the 12‑week cliff‑edge in Scotland cuts the risk of sudden relabelling and wasted packaging for producers and processors serving Northern supermarkets into Christmas.

Who gains first. Westminster ministers told peers the change mainly affects longer‑lived birds-turkeys, ducks and geese-because broiler chickens are typically slaughtered before 12 weeks. For small and seasonal producers, it protects the premium they rely on if housing extends through December.

How the consultation landed. Defra and the Scottish Government received 14 responses; 79% backed removing the limit, though some warned of potential consumer confusion if birds are housed for long spells. Officials say any housing orders will be clearly publicised and retailers encouraged to display point‑of‑sale notices so shoppers understand why birds are inside.

Defra’s Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner framed the policy as a cost saver that keeps labels honest while protecting welfare: “Our priority is to support English free‑range poultry farmers while ensuring clear and fair labelling for consumers.” Scotland’s step mirrors that approach along GB supply chains.

Producers welcomed the shift. “These moves will be welcomed by the sector as they ensure that poultry producers are not left at a competitive disadvantage,” said NFU poultry board chair James Mottershead, backing the removal of the 12‑week cap.

Processing muscle matters in our region. At Coupar Angus in Perth and Kinross, 2 Sisters Food Group has planning approval in principle for a major rebuild of its poultry plant, a site employing over 1,000 people and supplying UK retailers. Fewer mid‑season label changes and packaging write‑offs mean steadier runs for plants like this if housing orders bite.

This brings poultrymeat into line with eggs. Scotland removed the 16‑week derogation for free‑range eggs in November 2024, and UK ministers amended egg labelling rules the following August. The principle is the same: during a disease housing order, products can stay ‘free‑range’ provided the other free‑range conditions are met.

And the rest of the UK is moving. Wales has laid its own regulations to remove the 12‑week limit, and under the Windsor Framework any equivalent EU change will apply in Northern Ireland. Officials have said that if housing orders are imposed, they and retailers will communicate clearly with customers about why birds are inside.