Michigan legislators are considering a bill that would extend the deadline concerning when the state’s egg producers would have to stop raising hens in traditional cages.
The existing law, passed in 2009, requires that by 2019, all laying hens must be able to fully extend their wings without touching the side of an enclosure or another hen, and have the ability to turn around freely. The law is similar to California’s Proposition 2 law.
However, earlier in November, Rep. Dan Lauwers, R-Brockway Township, introduced House Bill 5987, legislation that would extend the deadline to 2025.
Bill designed to help state’s egg producers
“The new regulations force Michigan egg producers to make a substantial financial investment, and millions of dollars have already been spent upgrading the facilities where hens are housed,” Lauwers said in a news release. “However, these businesses expect to spend millions more before they are 100-percent compliant, and industry experts agree that it will not be cost-effective to produce more cage-free eggs until additional consumers are willing to purchase the product.”
Within the past year, all of the leading U.S. grocery chains and many of the top restaurants, foodservice businesses and food processors have made pledges to source and sell only eggs from cage-free operations. While the companies’ timelines regarding when the transition will be completed, the majority established 2025 as their target dates.
While many companies to sign cage-free egg purchase pledges have cited consumer preferences for their reason in doing so, consumers have so far been reluctant to pay the extra price for cage-free eggs and the demand has fell short of expectations.
Because of that, a new deadline would benefit Michigan egg producers.
“This new timeframe sets Michigan egg producers up for continued success by aligning with the commitment retailers have already made,” Lauwers said.
Michigan’s House Committee on Agriculture, of which Lauwers is a member, has approved the measure, which will now be under consideration by the full House.
The proposed bill would have a bigger impact on Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch than any other business. Herbrucks, according to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database, is the state’s largest egg company, producing 60 percent of Michigan’s eggs. Herbruck’s has 6.89 million layers. Other key egg producers headquartered in Michigan are Konos, which has 2.39 million hens, and Schipper Eggs, which has 1.55 million hens.
