27.04.2013

Companion bills setting federal standards for the welfare of egg-laying hens have been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2013 on April 25 for the humane treatment of egg-laying hens and the labeling of eggs. Schrader and Feinstein introduced similar bills in the last Congress to increase the size of hen cages but failed to gain enough support.
The bills require a phase-in of larger cages over 15 to 18 years at a cost United Egg Producers has estimated at $4 billion.
The Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2013 would:
- require conventional cages to be replaced during an ample phase-in period with new, enriched colony housing systems that provide each egg-laying hen nearly double the amount of current space; 
- require that, after a phase-in period, all egg-laying hens be provided with environmental enrichments, such as perches, nesting boxes, and scratching areas, that will allow hens to express natural behaviors;
- mandate labeling on all egg cartons nationwide to inform consumers of the method used to produce the eggs -"eggs from caged hens,” “eggs from hens in enriched cages,” “eggs from cage-free hens,” and “eggs from free-range hens”;
- prohibit feed- or water-withdrawal molting to extend the laying cycle, a practice already prohibited by the United Egg Producers Certified program;
- require standards approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association for euthanasia of egg-laying hens;
- prohibit excessive ammonia levels in henhouses, with temporary exemptions for extraordinary weather;
- prohibit the transport and sale of eggs and egg products nationwide that do not meet these requirements;
- make explicit that bill only applies to commercial egg production, not any other livestock or poultry production.