For the first time, the country’s egg industry has defined the term free-range and wants it to be legally enforceable. But free-range farmers and animal welfare groups are outraged and say the standard is not ethical.
The Australian Egg Corporation, which represents most egg farmers, this week sent new draft standards to producers, which would allow a free-range egg farm to run as many as 20,000 chickens per hectare. The industry’s current model code, which is not legally enforceable, allows 1500 chickens per hectare.
The managing director of the corporation, James Kellaway, said he wanted an agreed definition of free-range that was enshrined in legislation and enforceable
to replace the loose standards
that currently existed — via redwolf.newsvine.com
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