Right now, welfare standards are being developed for egg production in Australia.
These standards are meant to reflect community expectations. But the process is being controlled by vested interests. There’s no discussion of phasing out battery cages, meaning that meaningful change could be delayed for decades.
We can’t stand for this. The standards are being influenced by the Stakeholder Advisory Group and the chair, Dr Steve Atkinson, should be looking at phasing out battery cages.
Ask Dr. Atkinson to recommend a phase-out of battery cages.
The new standards will likely influence welfare practices for decades to come. This is an opportunity for us to make our voices heard, and make sure that Australia follows New Zealand, Canada, and the European Union, in committing to a phase-out of battery cages.
But nothing will happen if we don’t make our voices heard. Industrial egg producers are currently speaking loudest - science is being misrepresented, and the RSPCA has threatened to walk away from a process that is ignoring both science and community expectations. We need to be speaking up.
Sign our petition calling for a phase-out of battery cages.
The new welfare standards could lock-in business as usual - or lead to a better life for hundreds of millions of battery hens. It’s up to us.
More information
The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 February 2017.