Zootecnica International - World Poultry Journal

During the IEC London Conference held in March, Gene Gregory, President of United Egg Producers (UEP) in the United States of America, spoke about the implications of banning cages in California and how this decision has affected the local industry, the rest of the US, and eventually the international egg industry as a whole.
UEP members produce eggs from the full variety of systems: cage, cage-free and organic. Gregory emphasised that UEP supports the consumer’s right to choose. However, UEP believes that retailers and consumers should not be forced to limit their egg purchases to those from only cage-free systems. It’s a matter of fact that the demand for caged eggs has not reduced.
According to Gregory, the ban of caged eggs in California will not stop people from eating eggs from caged hens, but it will stop the Californian egg farmers from producing them. Consumers, retailers and food service companies will be forced to purchase these eggs from out of state, or out of country.
Gregory concluded his presentation by explaining that the vote in California to ban cage eggs was based on emotion rather than science. He agreed that the free-range system did provide the advantage of freedom of movement, but he also pointed out some disadvantages. He explained that UEP has already began working with the American Veterinarian Association and other animal welfare associations and organisations, exploring options for science based animal welfare guidelines.