Egg producers wait to see sunny side

Today's debate asks, at what density of chicken numbers can an egg be called 'free range'?

The term is open to interpretation by producers while the product becomes more popular with consumers.

The state government has drafted a voluntary code on what constitutes free range.

Business services and consumers minister Gail Gago said feedback from consultations was being considered, with no date on when the code may be ready.

The code will allow producers to market themselves as 'SA Free Range Egg Compliant', provided they meet certain requirements.

These include adequate shelter for hens, unrestricted access to outdoor areas during daylight hours, a prohibition on induced moulting by food deprivation, and the most contentious issue, a maximum density of 1500 layer hens a hectare on the outdoor range.

John and Ange Rohde, Rohde Farms, Tarlee, use a density of 1500/ha for their 60,000 birds, and believe high-density producers should call them 'barnyard-laid eggs'.

"A consumers' view of a free range system is not birds in a high-density system," Mr Rohde said.

The figure of 1500 that many free range egg producers work with is based on a recommendation from the Primary Industries Standing Committee's Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals; Domestic Poultry 4th edition.

The Australian Egg Corporation has proposed a maximum density of 20,000/ha, while Woolworths and Coles use 10,000/ha as their marker.

Mr Rohde said compared to other Australian states, SA had a higher percentage of smaller producers, which allowed it to put its case forward.

"We probably need some higher-density farmers - people need to be able to turn out cheap eggs," he said.

"But the debate is whether they should be able to label them the same, and we believe you shouldn't label them the same."

Mr Rohde said there was a sense of frustration that the argument still continued.

"It's gone on for so long, it's ridiculous," he said.

Days Eggs' managing director Dion Andary is concerned that the wording of the code could undermine its intent and create false impressions with consumers.

Days Eggs has cage and free range eggs with the latter at a density of 1500/ha and 10,000/ha.

Mr Andary objected to the word 'compliant' in the code, saying it suggested other eggs were 'non compliant', and leave consumers with the impression that the product was compliant with all codes related to the egg industry.

Mr Andary suggested two classifications of free range - a high-density version of one bird a square metre and a low-density version at 1500/ha.

"There is this perception that (at 10,000 chickens/ha), chooks only have access to 1sqm and the perception that's not a lot,'' he said.

"Each hen has access to 10,000sqm during daylight hours for 10-12 hours in the day."

Mr Andary said the government needed to be willing to listen to producers and get informed.

"The (1500/ha) is a niche market and deserves a premium but the government's voluntary code should not protect that," he said.

Ms Gago said the voluntary opt-in code would not change existing requirements for egg producers.

"Producers who wish to voluntarily opt-in and display the 'SA Free Range Egg Compliant' logo will, however, need to meet the rules under the trademark that are additional to existing requirements," she said.

"The intention of the code and logo is to provide consumers with the ability to easily recognise locally produced eggs which have been produced to the prescribed standard of free range.''