Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Sen. Lana Theis on Thursday introduced legislation to repeal Michigan’s cage-free egg mandates — a move aimed at reducing burdens on farmers and providing relief to consumers facing skyrocketing prices.

The bill, as introduced, seeks to repeal the requirement that eggs sold in Michigan be cage-free and eliminate the mandate requiring farmers and producers to use cage-free systems to raise egg-laying chickens.

Egg prices have soared by 36.8% over the past year, with prices reaching a high of nearly $9 per dozen in certain areas. While the spread of bird flu is attributed as the primary driver of these record-high prices, Theis emphasized that the added burden of cage-free mandates exacerbates the issue for Michigan consumers.

“In 2024 alone, over 40 million egg-laying hens were lost nationwide due to the spread of bird flu, with Michigan accounting for 6.5 million of those losses — 16.5% of the national total,” said Theis, R-Brighton. “These devastating numbers have disrupted supply chains, leading to shortages and historically high prices at the grocery store.”

Michigan is one of only five states, along with California, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon, that require all eggs sold within the state to come from cage-free systems. Experts have noted that these systems, while seeming to promote animal welfare, can inadvertently increase the risk of bird flu transmission.

“Cage-free systems require birds to roam freely in open spaces, which increases their exposure to pathogens like the highly contagious H5N1 virus,” Theis said. “When wild bird droppings contaminate these environments, it becomes far easier for the virus to spread, forcing farmers to cull entire flocks and prolonging the egg supply crisis.”

Professor Chad Hart, an agricultural economist at Iowa State University, echoed these concerns, noting that states with cage-free mandates are more susceptible to outbreaks due to the nature of their production systems.

Additionally, cage-free egg production is significantly more expensive, requiring higher labor, housing, and operational costs. These costs are passed on to consumers, who are already grappling with inflation and rising food prices.

“We cannot promise this legislation will immediately lower egg prices, but we can remove one of the factors contributing to the financial strain on both farmers and families,” Theis said. “By giving producers greater flexibility to choose systems that work best for their operations, we are empowering them to focus on rebuilding healthy flocks and stabilizing the egg supply.”

Additionally, experts warn egg prices could climb another 20% in 2025 as the bird flu epidemic shows no signs of slowing down. Patrick Penfield, a professor at Syracuse University’s School of Management, predicts continued disruptions in the egg market due to the nine to 12 months it takes to fully recover production after a flock is culled.

“This is a commonsense solution to help Michigan farmers recover while making it easier for families to afford a basic staple,” Theis said. “Our farmers are some of the hardest-working people in the state, and we owe it to them, and to every Michigander struggling at the grocery store, to address the issues driving up costs and creating shortages.”

The legislation was assigned as Senate Bill 28 and will be formally read in and referred to committee on Jan. 28.