RSPCA Assured members prepare for the RSPCA’s updated welfare standards for turkey

The new version of the RSPCA’s turkey standards comes into effect from 17 August 2026, following the usual three-month notification period. Notification letters were sent to all RSPCA Assured turkey members today.

Chloe Pate, scientific and policy officer at the RSPCA, says: “The updated turkey welfare standards will help make impactful welfare improvements on UK farms. These science-based changes will give turkeys a more stimulating environment, clearer welfare safeguards during transport and slaughter, and stronger protections during disease outbreaks.”

Key updates to the RSPCA turkey standards include:

• Poults: new feeding space requirements have been introduced for younger birds in ‘brood and move’ systems, alongside updated drinker guidance
• Environment: non-permanent housing, such as polytunnels, must now undergo an independent site-suitability survey, with stronger requirements for maintenance and safety checks
• Enrichment: turkeys must now be given a wider variety of enrichment items, and these items must be monitored and rotated to keep birds engaged
• The range: updated standards strengthen guidance for periods when free-range birds must be temporarily housed
• Management: farms must now have formal contingency plans in place for mass culling during disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza
• Transport: upright carrying is now required for birds over 5kg, with the RSPCA also encouraging more upright handling methods for smaller birds
• Slaughter/killing: new guidance has been introduced on electrical stunning, with slaughterhouses now required to have a back-up killing method available.

Chloe added: “The new standards also include additional helpful advice in the grey information boxes, or iboxes as we call them. These iboxes give new and existing members a good idea of where the standards might be heading in the future to help with planning, as well as useful welfare advice from our experts. They’re a great guide to help you stay ahead and understand what might be expected down the line.

“Just remember, the updates we’re announcing today will be added to the existing turkey standards, so this is not a full list of every standard. These are the new and revised requirements being introduced at this stage - the full standards will be published in August.”

Support is available to help farmers meet the updated standards. Izzy Candy, head of farming and technical engagement at RSPCA Assured, explains: “Any new, potential or existing RSPCA Assured members who need support or advice about meeting the updated turkey standards should contact our farming and technical engagement team.”