Poultry & birds

The poultry industry is an important contributor to the Western Australian agricultural sector producing both meat and eggs. Various breeds are kept in domestic or farm environments.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development role is to work collaboratively with the industry for early detection of significant, new and emerging diseases and manage chemical residue detections.

Commercial egg or chicken meat producers must abide by the state and Commonwealth acts and regulations relevant to their business regardless of the type of production system (organic, free to range, barn).

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.

The department has responsibility for animal health (disease prevention, surveillance and eradication or control) and chemical residues. Acts and regulations administered by the department relevant to poultry producers include:

• Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Act and Regulations
• Subsidiary legislation as made under the BAM Act
• Exotic Diseases of Animals Act, 1993
• Animal Welfare Act, 2002
• Veterinary Chemical Control and Animal Feeding Stuffs Act, 1976