The nation's egg producers are in the midst of a multibillion-dollar shift to cage-free eggs to dramatically changing the lives of millions of hens
Pushed by voter initiatives in California and other states as well as pressure from fast food restaurant chains and major grocers, egg producers are freeing chickens from cages and letting them move throughout hen houses.
McDonald's, which buys about 2 billion eggs annually, said it gradually shifted to cage-free after concluding it was desired by customers. Many companies widely promoted their move to cage-free as good for their brand's image. The egg industry also initially sought national standards that would allow cages but ultimately relented, said J. T. Dean, president of Iowa-based Versova, a leading egg producer. Egg companies house about 325 million laying hens, so shifting many out of cages where they couldn't move and into spaces where they could walk and roost was an expensive proposition, Dean said.
"When you start talking about needing billions of dollars, you have to try every avenue you can," Dean said. At Des Moines' Gateway Market, which specializes in organic and specialty food, shoppers said they think it's worth paying more for eggs if it improves lives for hens.
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