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by Mackenize Dekker | News Channel 3 Fully Auto Chicken Farm
IONIA COUNTY, Mich. — Grocery stores and egg producers are gearing up for some big changes in 2025.
Taking effect Jan. 1, all eggs sold in the state must come from cage-free chickens.
The transition to cage-free began with legislation signed by Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II in 2019, making the Michigan Cage-Free Law part of the Animal Industry Act.
This legislation places Michigan among 10 states across the country to ban the production of caged eggs.
“A lot of those companies have already been switching to cage free,” owner of Joe’s Farm, Joe Koopsen, said. “I do think that it is a step in the right direction as far as agricultural practices.”
The law contains specific rules regarding the amount of space hens must have to move and exhibit natural behaviors, ultimately prohibiting their confinement.
Legislation will apply to farms with at least 3,000 egg-laying hens.
“If I had the choice between an egg from a caged chicken versus an egg from a cage-free chicken, I would certainly choose the cage-free,” Koopsen said. “I do think it is a better product, but I'm not convinced that it's as good as everyone might think it is.”
Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch has been one of the largest producers of cage-free eggs in Michigan for years, now entirely cage-free.
It was an important goal for them, brought on by customer demand, according to Herbruck’s.
In a statement provided to News Channel 3, CEO Greg Herbruck said:
With this change in legislation, many consumers are worried about an increase in egg prices.
“If there are any independent farms that have to completely change their barn system now, that is a huge overhead,” Koopsen said. “They're going to have to make it up somewhere, so they're going to have to charge more for eggs.”
Herbruck added that an increase in pricing has less to do with a law change, and more to do with supply and demand, the need for fresh products, and the impacts of disease on the industry.
In the end, it’s all about knowing your farmer, Koopsen said.
“Then you don't have to worry about these regulations because they'll be more than happy to have you come out to the farm and see exactly how the birds are being raised,” he said.
H Type Chicken Cage To find a list of local farms that sell pasture-raised products, go here.