Battery cages are a housing system for animals and a part of an automated, industrial method of raising them. It is most commonly used for egg-laying hens and considered by many to be cruel to the animals.

The European Commission planned to ban cage farming by 2027. However, EC President Ursula von der Leyen has recently announced that there the decision had been changed.

In June 2021, the European Commission committed to ban housing animals in battery cages by 2027. The Financial Times reports on Wednesday 13 September that Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU is however considering abandoning these plans.

"What happened today is scandalous. We are concerned that the European Commission will not keep its word to ensure a decent life for animals, bending to the demands of the agribusiness lobby and delaying the introduction of new animal welfare legislation," said Małgorzata Szadkowska, president of Compassion in World Farming Poland, in a statement released to the media.

The representatives of the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers (Polish: Krajowa Izba Producentów Drobiu i Pasz) however, are pleased with the decision of the President of the European Commission. According to them, the EC's plans to ban battery cages in 2027 sounded utopian and unfeasible.

"The European Commission's decision to stop putting pressure on egg producers to completely move away from caged farming was obvious to us. We were not wondering 'if', but 'when' it would be made," said Katarzyna Gawrońska, director of the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers, in a media interview.

Katarzyna Gawrońska believes that a ban on caged breeding would lead to increased inflation. As we read on ekologia.pl, the head of the Chamber also believes that the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of increased inflationary pressure and the results of egg sales will make retail chains change their minds in a similar way to the European Commission.

In Poland, up to 72% of the total hen population is currently kept in battery cages. This is a lot, but still much less than a few years ago. In 2018, the share of caged hens was as high as 84%. As reported by ekologia.pl, the gradual withdrawal of this type of animal housing is a major challenge for farmers, but at the same time necessary for the welfare of hens. An important motivation is that this is also becoming increasingly important for consumers.

Source: ekologia.pl