Petitioner requests that the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services promulgate regulations setting minimum standards of care for the transportation, handling, and lairage of poultry prior to slaughter within the Commonwealth.

The Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services will consider this request at its next scheduled meeting following the public comment period. This meeting will occur on December 7, 2023.

The Board of Agriculture and Consumer Serices (Board) voted to deny the petitioner's request for rulemaking for the following reasons:

Many of the concerns and recommendations put forth by the petitioner are already addressed through the poultry industry's implementation of audited welfare standards adopted by the National Chicken Council, the National Turkey Federation, and the United Egg Producers. Maintaining the health and well-being of flocks is a priority for the poultry industry in order to deliver the best products and practices that meet consumers' expectations.

In addition, Virginia already has enacted robust animal welfare laws that subject perpetrators of animal cruelty to criminal prosecution. Prosecution for criminal animal cruelty addresses many of the petitioner's concerns for inhumane handling of poultry during transport and lairage.

Finally, promulgating the regulations that the petitioner suggests would negatively impact interstate commerce between Virginia and the poultry industries of neighboring states, such as West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and North Carolina. Because these neighboring states have not promulgated similar regulations to those suggested by the petitioner, adopting such regulations in Virginia would disrupt the ease of doing business across state lines.