P.E.I. egg producer supports transition away from battery cages

The head of the Egg Farmers of P.E.I. supports the commitment of Canadian producers to get rid of battery cages by 2036.

Battery cages house egg-producing hens. They are made of wire mesh, including the floor, and give each bird about 170 square centimetres of space. Animal welfare groups say the cages are cramped and inhumane.

New Egg Farmers of Canada standards for "alternative housing" that were announced Friday will require at least 295 square centimetres per hen and the cages must be enhanced with perches, nesting boxes and scratching pads that allow for more natural behaviour.

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But some animal welfare groups are critical of the 20-year timeline.

It will take time for some of the Island's eight egg farms to make the transition, explained John Dennis, chairman of the Egg Farmers of P.E.I. chairman.

"It strikes a balance between responding to demands from the marketplace and it also gives producers time to learn more about the management that's going to be required for the newer cages and also to put their financial things in order. Building a complete new housing system is a large capital expense," he said.

Dennis estimates that in less than a decade, at least half of P.E.I.'s commercial farms will no longer be using battery cages.

Dennis himself plans to move toa cage-free system this year.

P.E.I. egg farms produce around 39 million eggs a year.