If you walked up to the egg section at Meijer and were perplexed to see a slip of paper posted on the window stating “Attention Meijer Customers” and then something about Michigan law stating that retailers can only sell cage-free eggs beginning January 1st, 2025, you came to the right place.
What are cage-free eggs, and how will these changes affect future egg sales? Let us break it down.
What Are Cage Free Eggs?
Before we get into the new law, it’s important to define “cage-free” eggs and why the new law targets them. According to the Humane League, the difference is not in the eggs themselves, but in how the hens that lay them are treated throughout their lives.
Cage-free hens are raised and live in open spaces, allowing them to live relatively normal lives rather than cramped wire cages with little room to function outside of egg laying. Keeping birds in cramped cages like this is not illegal, but it is becoming increasingly frowned upon.
Michigan’s Cage-Free Law
Public Act 132 of 2019 was passed in 2019 and states that all eggs sold in Michigan “must be from cage-free housing systems” beginning December 31st, 2024.
Retailers must only purchase eggs from cage-free farms, and the law establishes cage-free housing standards. Michigan joins a growing number of states, including California and Washington, that have passed cage-free laws.
What This Means For You
Consumers can expect egg prices to rise. Better chicken care comes at a cost, and egg lovers bear the brunt of the financial burden. Unfortunately, these changes coincide with an increase in prices caused by a bird flu outbreak and holiday baking.
Brands like Penny Smart and Caged Egglands Best will no longer be available throughout the state.
