New requirements for poultry owners and poultry abattoirs

Following consultation, new registration requirements are being introduced through amendments to the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Identification and Movement of Stock and Apiaries) Regulations 2013.

From 1 April 2022, all owners of 50 or more poultry, or 10 or more emus and/or ostriches, will be required to register with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development as the new regulations will recognise poultry, emus and ostriches as livestock. Poultry abattoir operators will also be required to register.

Poultry is defined as domestic chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowls, quails, pigeons, pheasants and partridges.

To assist poultry, emu and ostrich owners meet the new requirements, the department is offering free registration for anyone registering for the first time between 1 April and 30 September 2022. Registration is currently $76.50 and is valid for three years before it needs to be renewed.

This offer only applies to owners of poultry, emus and ostriches who are not already registered with the department as an owner of other livestock and who must register due to the numbers of poultry they keep.

The department’s original proposal included a requirement for anyone selling eggs or poultry meat for human consumption to register, regardless of how many birds they own. However, after assessing the impact of this requirement, it was decided that it would not be made mandatory. Instead, people who sell eggs or poultry meat for human consumption, but own less than 50 poultry or less than 10 emus or ostriches, are being encouraged to voluntarily register, to support notification and tracing for the purposes of food safety.

For further information see livestock registration requirements for poultry owners and poultry operators.

Consultation process

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) thanks the Western Australian poultry industry and poultry owners who provided feedback on a proposal to enhance traceability of poultry in WA.

The majority of submissions to the consultation supported the proposal. Please see the consultation summary report for an overview of the results.

Consultation on the proposal opened on 3 September and closed on 1 October 2020.

Before making a submission, stakeholders were asked to read the consultation paper and frequently asked questions.

Stakeholders were able to gain further information via the Questions section below or by emailing animalbiosecurity@dpird.wa.gov.au before making a submission using the online submission form.