Poultry Manufacturers
Poultry system manufacturers build the cages, aviaries, and enriched colonies that define daily life for millions of hens. Their design choices are driven by a mix of engineering constraints, farmer feedback, and shifting market demand, making them a quiet but significant force in how this controversy plays out.
Stance
Many manufacturers appear to be supportive of alternative housing systems, especially enriched cages. Some manufacturing companies have concerns that cage-free systems would lead to poorer welfare, while others didn’t have any concerns for either enriched or cage-free.
"If you really care about the welfare of the bird, enriched is better. The regulations for enriched cages were drawn up very scientifically instead of emotionally."
- Ron Wardrop, Big Dutchman (source)
“I do really like the atmosphere you have in (cage-free) barns. It seems like you enter into the world of the birds; it’s really special. But an enriched system also perfectly responds to the layers’ needs,”
- David Lefebvre, Professional engineer & Director of operations for Ferme St-Ours Inc. (source)
Influences manufacturers discussed about why farmers may be hesitant to transition away from battery cages:
Management Style
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The incompatibility between farmers who prefer automated management styles with the more intense, hands-on labour requirements of cage-free systems.
Regulation Uncertainty
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Amy Carter, General Manager at Clark Ag Systems, spoke about how housing regulation uncertainty can show up in purchasing decisions by farmers: “I think there are many producers holding tight right now [rather than investing in new housing] because over the last year it changed. We saw a lot of cage-free barns going up a year ago and now we are seeing the demand swing to enriched systems instead.” (source)
Consumer Demand
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Uncertainty towards consumer demands and willingness to pay for more expensive eggs.
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“Even the egg board was cautiously concerned about where demand was going to go. It was the special interest groups pushing cage-free eggs and, though people are becoming much more conscious about animal welfare, it comes down to price. The consumer is not necessarily willing to pay for cage-free in the grocery store.” - Brad Mandryk, President of Clark Ag Systems (source)
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Manufacturers are broadly supportive of the shift toward alternative housing, backing that position with investment in research and innovation around specific components like measures to ensure food safety and perch shape.