A government review of egg farming practices in New Zealand could mean the introduction of a new colony egg farming system, but the SPCA say it is still not good enough.

Free range system.

In a move to phase out current cage egg farming practices, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee is considering introducing a new furnished colony cage system to allow the hens greater engagement in natural behaviours. The furnished colony cages have been tried in Europe and as of January 1 this year, all cage farmers in the European Union are required to implement these new cage systems.

In New Zealand, 89 per cent of raw eggs are produced using conventional cage systems, with the remaining 11 per cent coming from free range and barn farming.

NZ Egg Production Federation senior executive officer Kerry Mulqueen says the new colony system is widely accepted internationally and will allow hens more space and increased ability to scratch, perch and nest.

'Overall, they have more colony size. The older systems do not allow for a nest box, perch or scratch pad. They can also house more birds per square metre, but is it is still a more intensive way of farming than free range and barn systems.”

New Zealand law currently allows hens to be kept in cages of 550 square cm – approximately the size of an A4 piece of paper. The new furnished colony system comes in different sizes of up to 750 Sqcm total area per bird.

'That is the total area, so if you have got 60 birds, then you need 60 times 750sqcm and that includes the nest box and perches.”

Juliette Banks from the Royal New Zealand SPCA says the new colony system is still a cage-based system and the organisation is completely against it.

'A cage is still a cage as far as we are concerned. We do not support it and do not agree with it.

'We don't believe any animals should live in a cage, no matter what the size.

'It is just a dispensation that the poultry industry has been given against the Animal Welfare Act to allow it.”

In Europe, where the colony cage system is widely used, Juliette says consumers are not supporting it, which has caused a great financial impact on the European industry.

'People are turning away from colony cage systems in Europe. Now there is a financial impact, but they have the benefit of being able to sell the cages to other countries close by.

'We don't have that possibility here; no one will take them if we bring them in.”

Juliette says the new colony system is a 20 year financial investment for the country and once it is introduced, farmers will not easily be able to switch to free range methods.

'We are already seeing the market shifting from caged right into cage free.”

'If the industry allows it and the government passes it, we are going to see 20 years of having those cages in New Zealand.

'We know consumers are becoming far more educated and conscious of how their food products are made and farmed – in 20 years time no one is going to want those cages, so our industry is going to be stuck with the financial burden.”

The furnished colony system costs up to 50 per cent more than conventional cage systems, for 20 per cent less hens. Kerry says the introduction of this system can not therefore happen immediately and will require significant investment by individual operators.

'We get various figures on the cost, but it is estimated to be between 40 to 50 per cent more than existing cages.

'If you had 1000 hens in a barn at present, you are going to have 800 in the new colony system.”

'A lot of equipment in the existing systems can be transferred across.”

To build the new colony system from scratch to house 40,000 birds Kerry estimates the cost will be more than $2million.
'That is for the basic model; then you can add in the whole range of extras. It depends on what you add into the system.”
Options for farmers

Kerry says farmers have three options: They can decide to pull out of farming, introduce the new colony cage system or convert to free range or barn systems.

'The world is moving away from existing cages to these other forms of systems. What may happen is a lot of the smaller operators who exist at present and may have been farming for the last 20 to 30 years will exit the industry and possibly won't take the capital plunge to go higher.”

Juliette says the cost of installing these colony cages is approximately the same as establishing a barn system.
'It just costs a bit more to run the barn, which is minimal.”

NAWAC is currently reviewing submissions and putting a Code of Conduct to present to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, who will then consider the economic aspects of the submission.
'NAWAC has put it out for public draft and received submissions,” says Juliette.

'NAWAC has indicated the EU standards of colony cages will be acceptable from a welfare point of view.

'If you have cages at present and this law is brought in you will have a certain number of years before the current cages become prohibited.”

Kerry says the period of implementation will depend on the economic ability of farmers to introduce these systems and on the ability to supply these new colony systems.

'These new systems are mostly manufactured in Europe. No one in New Zealand manufactures them and with the phase-in period happening in Europe next year the companies making these cages are flat out, they could not actually supply them at the present moment.”

Juliette says the industry is placing too much emphasis on introducing new furnished systems when issues like labelling are going unnoticed. Juliette says there is currently no legislation in New Zealand for labelling on eggs to tell people whether or not they are free range.

'Consumers are very confused about what type of eggs they are getting. Anyone can claim to be free range.”

Blue Tick Programme

The SPCA Blue Tick programme is an accreditation scheme that certifies farms that humanely farm, including barn and free range eggs.

'We have defined what these farming methods mean because there is not a legal definition of any farming method. Free range is just a marketing term, it is not a farming method.”

The programme includes independent annual audits and spot auditing to ensure farmers are undertaking the required practices.

'That, along with the SPCA name which is a very trusted brand, gives consumers a guarantee that consumers know what they are getting.”

Juliette says currently an individual farmer can run both battery and free range farm and may be mixing eggs within a packet, giving consumers no insurance they are receiving free range.

'There are no auditing or management systems to make sure this is not happening – you can not guarantee you are getting a free range system. With Blue Tick our auditing system goes from paddock to plate.”

Juliette has been working in the Blue Tick programme for the last 18 months and says the programme is 'racing ahead”.

'We are seeing a real move towards Blue Tick from consumers, knowing and demanding it, farmers are approaching us.

'Not everyone can join Blue Tick as our standards are high and so they are having to change their farming practices to ensure they meet these standards and improve the welfare of animals.”