By Alexandra Smith
THE Australian Egg Corporation, which represents hundreds of egg producers, plans to introduce a new definition next month allowing farms that keep as many as 20,000 hens a hectare to call their eggs free range.
The proposed new definition of free-range eggs - which would allow up to two birds a square metre - has outraged animal welfare and consumer groups. The Greens plan to pressure every state Liberal MP to support their truth-in-labelling bill in a last-ditch attempt to stop the move.
The Australian Egg Corporation is misleading consumers ... Greens MP John Kaye.Credit: Janie Barrett
The present model code allows 1500 chickens a hectare but the corporation argues that unless there is an increase in hens producing free-range eggs, prices will rise significantly and Australia will be forced to import eggs.
But the Greens MP, John Kaye, said the corporation was misleading consumers because Australian quarantine rules prohibited the importation of whole eggs.
''The Egg Corporation's fear-mongering using threats of diseases coming in from Asia has come unstuck,'' Dr Kaye said. ''Quarantine regulations prohibit the import of hard-shell eggs.''
The consumer group Choice has also urged the egg corporation to reconsider its planned 13-fold increase in hen stocking densities for the eggs it certifies as free-range or risk consumers abandoning free-range eggs.
''It would make sense for industry to adapt to consumers' changing preferences, rather than trying to dilute the standard to meet producers' preferences,'' a spokeswoman for Choice, Ingrid Just, said.
Dr Kaye said the Greens had launched a new campaign to convince government MPs to support their labelling bill, which passed the upper house late last year. It would limit stocking densities to 1500 hens a hectare.
A spokesman for the corporation said they ''envisage'' the new standard being adopted by the end of June, ''after auditor training is completed and appropriate governance arrangements have been undertaken''.