July 20, 2023

 

Australian Agriculture Ministers hand decision on battery egg phase-out to state governments

 

Australian agriculture ministers have decided to put the responsibility for phasing out battery eggs back into the hands of state and territory governments, after the ministers endorsed an updated version of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry, following an independent review panel's recommendations last year, ABC News reported.

 

Australia's Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt clarified that the new standards for the poultry industry have been endorsed to phase out battery eggs by 2036. But it will be up to the states and territories to implement the timeline.

 

Watt said that this national agreement on animal welfare standards is significant, benefiting both poultry farmers and consumers, as the market is already shifting towards more humane methods of raising hens and producing eggs.

 

While some animal welfare advocates find the 13-year phase-out period too slow, the industry had been pushing for a national phase-out date of 2046.

 

Melinda Hashimoto, the chief executive of Egg Farmers Australia, expressed concern about the lack of a nationally agreed-upon date and the potential for varying standards across the country.

 

The poultry industry is apprehensive that the endorsed 2036 date could lead to egg shortages and price hikes, similar to what happened in New Zealand when the sale of caged eggs was discontinued.

 

The Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand's executive director, Michael Brooks, highlighted the need for financial compensation to support farmers in transitioning to barn or free-range systems.

 

Senator Watt, however, dismissed suggestions of price explosions, stating that modeling showed a minimal increase of about AUD 1.51 (~US$1.02; AUD 1 = US$0.68) per year for the average egg consumer due to the changed standards. Caged eggs currently make up 50% of the nation's total egg production.

 

Australia has lagged behind other countries in phasing out cage eggs, with 30 of the 36 nations in the OECD either having already phased them out or currently working to do so. Major supermarket retailers Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi have committed to phasing out or banning battery cages from their supply chains by 2025.

 

The state farming organisations will now work with their individual state ministers to determine the next steps. Egg Farmers Australia is advocating for compensation packages for affected farmers if state and territory governments decide on a phase-out date sooner than 2046.

 

The new standards will allow for the continued use of cages in poultry and egg farming, but they will require additional provisions such as nest areas, perches, and scratch areas to allow hens to behave more naturally. The aim is to improve welfare standards for meat chickens as well, with recommendations for environmental enrichments and minimum light intensity standards.

 

-      ABC News