Cage-free is right for NM

CONSUMERS NATIONWIDE have made their voices heard — they want the egg industry to go cage-free. On behalf of New Mexico’s leading egg suppliers, we appreciate this development. That’s why we’re thrilled with the opportunity to work on passing Senate Bill 347 with lawmakers like Sen. Pete Campos to make this transition as smartly as possible for farmers, consumers and the animals alike.

The future is already set: New Mexico and the rest of the country is going cagefree. The food industry has been moving in this trajectory for years, with hundreds of food companies committing to go cage-free including McDonald’s, Smith’s, Albertsons, Walmart and Sprouts. Our data shows it’ll cost just a few cents more per egg, a totally economically viable path. To be clear, this will happen with or without this bill.

So why is SB 347 so necessary? To set a strong, uniform statewide standard and ensure high levels of consumer understanding, food safety, public health and animal welfare. It requires chickens raised for egg production have access to nest boxes, scratch areas and perches. The measure also sets scientificallybacked space standards to prevent overcrowding, reducing the risk of disease and injury.

Importantly, SB 347 also creates regulatory certainty critical for egg farmers. When farmers spend hundreds of millions of dollars into shifting to cage-free housing, driven by consumer demand, having a set minimum standard in place before the investment gives us confidence to take on numerous years-long construction projects to build housing to meet specifications. This construction and continual operation brings jobs to rural communities.

We also need a set time line to reach the cage-free. Without it, it’s a financially risky guessing game when to construct housing and what the market demands will be. This also provides seamless distribution of eggs throughout the Southwest, as other states follow similar laws with the same standards.

SB 347 is vital in so many ways and is a win-win for farmers, animals and all New Mexicans who purchase eggs.

JERRY WILKINS

Sales director, Rocky Mountain Eggs