LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – All eggs sold in Michigan will be soon be cage-free.
Starting on Dec. 31, 2024, nearly all eggs sold in Michigan must come from cage-free hens. Supporters champion the move as a win for animal welfare and ethically sourced products. Others are concerned about how this will impact their grocery budget.
More about the law.
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The law, passed in 2019, applies to chickens, ducks, and other egg-laying fowl. Liquid and cooked egg products are not part of the cage-free requirement. There are exceptions for smaller farms with fewer than 3,000 egg-laying hens.
Compliance responsibilities.
The responsibility for compliance rests with business owners, including grocery stores and other retailers selling eggs. It’s up to them to ensure the eggs they stock and sell meet the state’s cage-free requirements.
Buyer beware.
To help with the transition to cage-free eggs, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel encouraged retailers to include clear signage on egg cartons. This step aims to provide transparency about the origins of the eggs they purchase.
Michigan is ranked in the top ten of egg-producing states in the country, according to the United Egg Producers.
According to its data, “The number of hens housed in conventional cage environments is decreasing as some egg producers and retailers, food service providers and food manufacturers transition to cage-free eggs. At the end of 2022, 34% of all hens were in cage-free production, up from 28% in 2020 and 14% in 2016,” according to the United Egg Producers.
More backyard farms?
According to the Michigan Allied Poultry Industry, “Michigan’s family-owned and operated egg farms care for more than 15 million hens.” However, the amount of people flocking to the homestead movement, including raising backyard chickens, has seen an uptick in recent years. Michigan has no law prohibiting chickens in residential or urban areas, but most municipalities have ordinances which address the issue.
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