Hen Housing Systems

Massachusetts cage-free hen space reduction in motion

Massachusetts standards for cage-free layer housing density are moving closer to similarities in the current UEP-Certified requirements, which could prevent an egg shortage in the state.

July 1, 2021

Meredith Johnson

The Massachusetts Senate passed a bill on June 24, 2021, that will change the housing density mandate of the 2016 Question 3 law.

Taiwan adopts cage-free layer housing guidelines

The country has revised the welfare standards for the first time since 2015.

July 1, 2021

Meredith Johnson

Taiwan has released updated layer welfare standards that will affect eggs labeled as free-range, enriched cage or barn, encouraging producers to move toward the adoption of cage-free systems.

Green power investment pays egg farmers various dividends

As the price, efficiency and manufacturing footprint of solar panels has improved, egg farmers may want to look seriously at their benefits.

June 14, 2021

Vincent Guyonnet

Egg farms can make ideal locations for solar panels helping to tackle climate change and align with consumer demands for greater sustainability.

The 'no to cage-free' at the OIE from some Latin Americans

Apparently, some of the largest egg producers in Latin America did not support the OIE proposal of accepting all production systems that could finally lead to the banning of cages.

June 2, 2021

Benjamín Ruiz

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) carried out last week its virtual 88^th general session.

How Ovolab became Mexico’s largest cage-free egg company

Spotting a trend, Mexico’s Ovolab ventured into cage-free production over a decade and half ago, and has established its presence in this niche market.

May 27, 2021

Benjamín Ruiz

The learning curve may have been steep, but Mexico’s Ovolab is now firmly established in the local cage-free market.

Some European companies discriminating via egg sourcing?

Those European food companies using cage outside their home market accused of discrimination

May 17, 2021

Mark Clements

Open letter urges universal timeline for ending use of cage produced eggs by European food companies.

Cal-Maine buys Rose Acre’s half of Red River Valley Egg Farm

The two largest egg companies in the United States have been operating Texas LLC in a joint venture since 2015

May 13, 2021

Roy Graber

Cal-Maine Foods reached a definitive agreement to purchase the remaining 50 percent membership interest in Red River Valley Egg Farm from Rose Acre Farms.

How cage-free, caged layer gut health, microbiome differ

Cage-free rearing systems result in changes to the layer’s gut morphology, microbiome

April 26, 2021

Mark Clements

Both the morphology and the microbiome differ between caged layers and those reared cage-fee

HSUS says IHOP not leaping to cage-free eggs fast enough

Company promised to source only cage-free eggs by 2025, but to date, according to HSUS, only 5.2% of its eggs are from cage-free hens

April 14, 2021

Roy Graber

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is putting pressure on IHOP and its parent company, Dine Brands, to expedite their transition to sourcing only eggs from cage-free hens.

Proposition 12 effective date could be delayed

Litigation, lack of resources to enforce the law, potential gubernatorial recall could all factor into Proposition 12’s implementation

March 23, 2021

Roy Graber

California’s Proposition 12 law is supposed to become effective on January 1, 2022, but the implementation of that law might be postponed, said Steve Meyer, economist with Partners for Production Agriculture.