The Government Wants You to Eat Cage Free Eggs: Cage Free Egg Laws - Rebel Pastures

The Government Wants You to Eat Cage Free Eggs: Cage Free Egg Laws

^ Picture above of multitiered "Cagefree" CAFO operations courtesy of Big Dutchman.
If you live in Michigan (or the other 9 states with cage-free regulations) and visit a grocery store, you may have seen this notice or one like it on the egg cooler.
 
I've had several people ask about this "new" law including my brother, who took this photo. Let's look into this new regulation together - my opinion may surprise you...

The Michigan Cage Free Law

Although this regulation is now hitting the grocery store shelves, it was actually signed into law 5 years ago in 2019 and producers were given 5 years to come into compliance. Here are some quick facts about the regulation:
 
👉 The law prohibits business owners from selling any shell eggs from a laying hen confined in a way that doesn’t meet the cage-free standards.
 
👉 The law places responsibility on the business owner who sells shell eggs to ensure the eggs meet the state requirements.
 
👉 It does not apply to farms with less than 3,000 hens.
 
👉 This law does not apply to liquid or cooked egg products.

What is Cage Free?

I'm just going to be direct: "Cage free" is not much different than caging hens. Instead of cramming one hen into a tiny cage, tens of thousands of hens are crammed into one giant cage. Giant "aviaries" are built to house even more hens, with each level counting as square footage. 
To help you understand the differences in grocery store label claims, I made this chart:
But I don't want to spend too much time here, most of you already know that label claims are a gimmick used to make you think you are buying healthy, humanely raised food when you aren't.
 
I actually have two questions I want to discuss:
 

1. Do you Trust Your Government To Mandate What you Can and Cannot Eat?

The government thinks you need help knowing what is healthy- and they aren't wrong. We can't be experts at everything, so we rely on people we trust to guide us. However, the government no longer has our best interested in mind. This bureaucratic system is manipulated through money, lobbyist and insider deals - regulations are bought and paid well before they are signed into law. 
 
And every time a law is passed that further restricts, regulates, prohibits, or mandates food production, you lose your freedom of choice. What if the next regulation prohibits stores from selling meat because it's inhumane to slaughter an animal? 

The REAL issue is transparency and truth. If people saw, smelled and witnessed the way CAFO laying hens lived... If they knew the lack of nutrition and disease risk involved in CAFO operations, they would choose better options for their family. 
 

2. Who Stands to Benefit?

When regulations like this are passed, and we are looking for the truth behind the law, Justin and I discuss this question "Who stands to benefit?". So let's examine together:
 

Who Doesn't?

Not the hens: They probably experience even more stress by having to fight for space, water and food with thousands of other birds in a multitiered laying facility.
 
Not consumers: As we already discussed, cage free is hardly different from caged. Egg prices are already increasing due to the higher cost to maintain the facilities and lack of competition in the marketplace.
 
Not small farms: Farmers who have already gone beyond “cage-free” by raising truly pasture-raised hens or operating at smaller, more humane scales will struggle even more to differentiate their products or compete with the marketing might of Big Ag.
 

Who Does?

Politicians and Lobbyists
Passing such a regulation looks great for politicians—especially in states where consumer demand for ethical products is high. It’s a way to score points without disrupting the status quo. Meanwhile, lobbyists for large agricultural corporations may push for these regulations to create barriers for smaller competitors.
 
Big Egg Producers
Industrial egg producers benefit most since they can afford the changes to meet “cage-free” standards, which often still involve overcrowded barns.
 
Regulatory and Certification Bodies
Organizations that manage certifications and inspections for “cage-free” eggs could see financial gains from the increased demand for certification and oversight. 
 
Large Grocery Stores and Marketing Machines
Cage-free labeling provides grocery stores and egg companies with a marketing angle to justify higher prices, even if the difference in production costs is minimal. This regulation allows them to sell a “premium” product to consumers who believe they’re making a more ethical choice, even when the reality doesn’t match the marketing.
 

The Good News?

The good news is that change is happening because consumers like you are waking up to the hijacked label claims, animal welfare concerns, and lack of nutrition in our food. People are becoming informed and seeking out better sources. 
 
These regulations are being passed because informed consumers are a threat to the bigs. They are swooping in to make sure they stay on top of market share by "fixing" these concerns for you.
 
So keep doing what you are doing. Continue to support small and direct to consumer farms. Learn about where your food comes from. Vote with your dollar. 👊
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