A Government spokesperson has responded to claims raised in The Royal Gazette opinion article published on 14 April under the headline, “Government must tackle crisis over food security.”
The spokesperson said: “Food security is an important matter for Bermuda, and the Government welcomes constructive public discussion on ways to improve resilience and support greater local food production.
“However, it is equally important that public commentary does not create the misleading impression that practical proposals are being ignored or that matters affecting food security are not being taken seriously.”
The spokesperson added: “In relation to the suggestion that feral chickens could be redirected into a local food or egg production system, that proposal was considered but was not found to be viable for several practical, regulatory, biosecurity and public health reasons.
“Feral chickens are not domestic farm animals raised in controlled conditions. Because they live outside any managed agricultural system, there are legitimate concerns about disease, contamination, biosecurity exposure and whether they could safely meet the standards required for food or egg production.
“Those are not minor concerns. They go directly to public health, food safety and the protection of Bermuda’s agricultural environment.”
The statement continued: “Any attempt to bring feral chickens into the food chain would require substantial oversight, specialised infrastructure and ongoing monitoring to ensure compliance with proper health and regulatory standards.
“In practical terms, the level of intervention required would likely outweigh any potential benefit.”
The Government notes that feral chickens are primarily an animal control and population management issue, rather than a realistic food security solution.
“Current evidence indicates that targeted population control methods are the more effective and responsible means of addressing feral chicken numbers,” added the spokesperson.
“Simply attempting to round up birds for farming or egg production would not resolve the underlying problem, particularly given how quickly feral populations can recover,” the spokesperson noted.
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment emphasises that the proposal was not dismissed without consideration, but was assessed against the practical realities involved.
The Government remains committed to sensible, evidence-based measures that support Bermuda’s food security and agricultural resilience, and it remains open to constructive dialogue on ideas that are practical, safe and sustainable for our island.