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This guidance is for food business operators (FBOs) (excluding distributors and retailers) following the declaration of protection and surveillance zones to control Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). See the听table of key dates for when zones were declared.听

You must follow these rules for any meat produced from poultry or farmed game birds that originate within the protection zones.听

The rules relate to the marking, separation and movement of meat intended for human consumption.听

Other meat, including poultry not originating within the protection zone (PZ) is unaffected.听

This guidance only applies in respect of an outbreak of听HPAI听in poultry and is not a definitive statement of the law. The precise requirements are set out in legislation and the听general licences.听

Meat from poultry or farmed game birds originating within the听PZ听can be moved or sold, subject to several conditions.听

Explanation of restricted and unrestricted meat听

The term 鈥榬estricted meat鈥� is used to mean:听

• meat from poultry originating from a听PZ听
• meat from poultry originating from an area that subsequently became a听PZ听and was slaughtered within 20 or fewer days of the date estimated by a veterinary inspector as being the earliest date of infection at a premises in the relevant zone. This date may change as the epidemiology of the outbreak develops. A list of dates is provided in the table of key dates
• meat that has not been kept separate from the previous 2 categories听
• any meat, processed meat or meat products derived from any of the above听

To help businesses, the dates which apply to restricted meat will be published online. This date may change as the epidemiology of the outbreak develops.听

The term 鈥榰nrestricted meat鈥� is used to mean:听

• meat from poultry originating outside of a听PZ听or听
• meat from poultry originating in an area that subsequently became a听PZ听but was slaughtered at least 21 days before the date estimated by a veterinary inspector as being the earliest date of infection at a premises in the relevant听PZ. This date may change as the epidemiology of the outbreak develops. A list of dates is provided in the table of key dates听听
• any meat falling into the restricted meat category that has been heat treated to at least 70掳C throughout by an approved establishment (in accordance with Article 4 of Regulations (EC) No 853/2004) becomes unrestricted meat and can be marked with the oval identification mark听

There are no special measures for meat produced from wild game birds during an outbreak of听HPAI听in poultry, thus all such meat is unrestricted.听听

Meat from birds slaughtered after the lifting of the听PZ听will be unrestricted meat.听

However, meat from any birds slaughtered before the听PZ听is lifted and falling under the definition of restricted meat will remain restricted, as will any meat that is subsequently not kept separate from restricted meat.听

Requirements of restricted meat听

Restricted meat must be marked with a special mark by an approved establishment. The special mark must then be carried throughout the chain (see figure 1 below).听

The special mark must not be removed except under the terms of the licence听EXD 264(HPAI)(EW)听which allows for the removal and reapplication of the mark for processing and repackaging.听

FBOs听receiving live poultry, farmed game or farmed game carcasses from a听PZ听must ensure that meat from those birds is obtained, cut, transported, and stored separately from other meat.听

Restricted meat which is fully packaged and correctly marked can be stored and transported alongside packaged unrestricted meat.听

Restricted meat which is not fully packaged must not be stored or transported alongside unrestricted meat, whether or not the unrestricted meat is packaged.听

Restricted meat must be produced in accordance with:听

• 听
• 听in Wales听

Slaughterhouses which are designated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to receive and process birds from a听PZ听must notify its clients accordingly.听

The special mark must be:听

• 鈥淯K鈥�, 鈥淕B鈥� or 鈥淯nited Kingdom鈥� 鈥� letters 8mm high听
• XXXX 鈥� numbers 11mm high (where XXXX is the approval number of the premises, as referred to in point 7 of Part B or Section I of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004)听
• have a diameter of at least 30mm (to outer edge of border)听
• have a 3mm thick border听听

Where an identification mark is applied, such as to retail packaging, the size of the mark may vary according to the size of the packaging. However, it must be legible to the naked eye, indelible and the characters easily decipherable.听

In the case of packaging containing cut meat or offal, the mark must be applied to a label fixed to the packaging, or printed on the packaging, in such a way that it is destroyed when the packaging is opened.听

This is not necessary, however, if the process of opening destroys the packaging.听

When wrapping provides the same protection as packaging, the label may be affixed to the wrapping.听

The mark may be applied to the external surface of products of animal origin that are placed in transport containers or large packages. This includes containers or packages for further handling, processing, wrapping, or packaging in another establishment.听

You are required to maintain the special mark on packaging or wrapping throughout the chain until it reaches the consumer.听

General licence EXD 264(HPAI)(EW)听allows for the special mark to be removed for the purposes of processing or repacking, subject to the conditions set out in the Schedule.听

Retail butchers and catering establishments directly supplying the final consumer may remove the special mark and are not required to reapply it.听

When unrestricted meat comes into contact with restricted meat, you must then treat it as though it is restricted meat.听听

This includes meat which has come into contact at any stage of transport, storage, processing, or handing. In these circumstances the above conditions, including marking, must be applied.听

Movement of restricted meat and products听

General licence EXD 249(HPAI)(EW)听allows movements subject to the conditions of that licence being met. Movement of restricted meat out of Great Britain cannot be authorised.听

Requirements for premises to process meat during an outbreak听

Slaughterhouses are required to apply to the听FSA听for designation if they are located:听

• in a protection zone (PZ)听
• in a surveillance zone (SZ)听
• outside of the听PZ听and听SZ听and receive and process poultry originating from within the听PZ听or听SZ听

Email听approvals@food.gov.uk听to apply for designation.听

These designations are defined as:听

• Level 1 鈥� slaughterhouses handling only unrestricted poultry originating from the听SZ听or slaughterhouses located within the听PZ听or听SZ听receiving poultry from outside the听PZ听which will produce unrestricted meat during a bird flu outbreak听听
• Level 2 鈥� slaughterhouses receiving poultry originating from within the听PZ听which will produce restricted meat during a bird flu outbreak听

See the听list of designated slaughterhouses. This information may change as the outbreak develops.听

Disposal of waste and animal by-products听

Level 2 designated slaughterhouses processing birds from the听PZ听are required to adhere to the special animal by-product (ABP) categorisation and disposal rules in accordance with听, as amended:听

• no restricted meat or related by-product is allowed to go into raw pet food production听
• restricted meat is allowed to go into processed pet food production, but manufacturers must ensure any product falling into the restricted meat category is processed such that it is heat-treated to at least 70掳C throughout听
• when restricted meat or associated poultry carcase waste is collected, for disposal, the FBO will need a written confirmation from the rendering company that Category 3听ABP听material will be subjected to a minimum heat treatment of 70掳C听
• if the FBO does not have this confirmation, Category 3 ABPs from birds originating from a听PZ听must be disposed as Category 2听ABP听or above听
• if Category 3 ABPs from birds originating in the听PZ听get mixed with Category 3听ABP听from birds outside the听PZ, the above controls apply to the entirety听

All approved meat processing establishments handling restricted meat bearing the special mark are required to dispose of Category 3听ABP听through a route that involves heat treatment to a minimum of 70掳C.听

On-farm slaughtering

This guidance is for operators of on-farm slaughter facilities that have registered with their听local authority听for a Primary Production exemption under EU Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

You also need to have a county parish holding (CPH) number. You can听apply for a CPH number听if you don鈥檛 have one already.

This guidance for on-farm slaughtering does not apply to听, including those located on farms.

Apply to be a designated on-farm slaughter facility

Once your facility is registered with your local authority, you must apply to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to have your facility designated. You need to do this if:

• your farm is located in a protection zone (PZ) or surveillance zone (SZ)
• you plan to slaughter birds which originate from a听PZ听or听SZ

Email听outbreak.licensing@apha.gov.uk听to request a designation approval form.

Apply for a specific licence to slaughter

Once you are designated, you must obtain a licence from听APHA听before slaughtering poultry at your on-farm facility if:听听

• your facility is in a听PZ听or听PZ听听
• any of the birds on your farm are located within a听PZ听or听SZ

This licence will include:听

• a requirement for pre-slaughter inspection 听
• additional conditions for moving meat if you鈥檙e in a protection zone

Find out more about applying for a specific licence.听

Supplying meat

Registered on-farm slaughter facilities can only supply of small quantities of fresh meat from poultry and lagomorphs (hares and rabbits) slaughtered on the farm.

You can supply this meat directly to:听听

• the final consumer听
• local retail establishments that will sell it directly to the final consumer as fresh meat

Health and identification marks on meat

Registered on-farm slaughter facilities cannot apply a health or identification mark to meat.听

At these establishments, you must not use the special mark described in the guidance above. Using it would suggest a level of meat inspection and control that does not apply to these premises.听

Meat without a mark can only be sold within Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). It cannot be exported to third countries, including the EU.

Legal basis for this guidance听

The following legislation is relevant to outbreaks of听HPAI:听

• 听