Members of GCAW’s Laying Hen Welfare Working Group were pleased to welcome Julia Johnson, Head of Food Business, Compassion in World Farming USA, to their January meeting.
Ms Johnson presented the findings from Compassion in World Farming’s latest EggTrack spotlight report for the US and Canada, published that day.
Members were briefed on the tangible progress being made in the US where cage-free production now sits at 40%, from just 12% in 2016, no doubt significantly influenced by the eleven states that have introduced bans on eggs from caged hens. Another encouraging trend has been the number of companies reporting on the proportion of cage-free eggs in their supply chains. In Canada, progress has been considerably slower with 18% of production there being cage-free. As with the US, the legislative context is proving to be a key driver and allows a long timeframe to transition away from cages in Canada. Ms Johnson further acknowledged the commitments, efforts and achievements of GCAW companies in multiple geographies.
An interesting discussion and Q&A session followed the briefing, touching on CIWF’s stance on in-ovo sexing and cage-free egg credits, a retailer case study demonstrating the impact of on-shelf merchandising on consumer behaviour in-store, and the need for transparent reporting and collaboration to drive progress across the food industry.
