Michigan SB 174 Is a Stepping Stone to Create More Humane Living Conditions for Hens - National Humane Education Society

December 4, 2019

Eggs are a staple in many households, but little thought may be given to the living conditions of the hens that produce them. Unless you shop at your local farmer’s market or neighbor down the road, the hens that laid the eggs do not live “the good life.” They exist in filthy, appalling conditions that inhibit their natural behavior. Many factory farm owners house their hens in battery cages, wire cages that hold up to 10 hens, to help maximize their profit. Sadly, each hen can only move, groom, eat, drink, sleep, and lay eggs on the size of a sheet of paper. Housing them in this way drastically decreases their lifespan, and increases their suffering physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Many succumb to cage fatigue: bone deterioration resulting in paralysis and death. These living conditions were unacceptable to Michigan Representative Mike Simpson (D).  He introduced House Bill 5127 in the summer of 2009 to ban the use of battery cages in his state to create more humane environments hens by 2020. It was signed, in the fall, by Governor Jennifer Granholm.

Ten years later, Senator Kevin Daley (R) introduced Senate Bill 174 to revamp some of the requirements farmers need to follow to help limit the spread of disease among their animals. Additionally, poultry farmers would be given an extension to create cage-free systems by 2025. Governor Gretchen Whitmer approved the bill on November 21, 2019. This extension, although not ideal, is still a step in the right direction to create a more humane life for hens.

To learn more about factory-farmed food, please download our free brochure here.

Take Action: Support legislation that will create more humane living conditions for factory-farmed animals.