California super markets, just like super markets everywhere in the country, carry cage-free eggs along side of regularly produced non-cage free eggs. Again , just as in the rest of the country, the cage –free eggs account for a small proportion of the total egg sales.
But Prop#2 in California passed by an overwhelming 63% of the vote. It stipulates that all egg producers in California will have to provide egg laying hens with cages that offer enough room for the hens to spread their wings all day. So why am I telling you this? Well, as you all well know or should know consumers reveal their preferences through their behavior in the market place. If so many felt that cage free eggs are so important to them then why did they continue to buy the non cage –free eggs. This is a head scratcher isn’t it? Well maybe most of the voters do not eat eggs.
Anyway it appears that the five year transition period might witness the end of the egg industry in California since , unless buying habits change, most of the egg farmers will move their operations to neighbouring states that have less onerous regulations . A study at the University of California- Davis, estimates that the new regulations will cost farmers at least 20 % to produce and so there will be a flight of egg laying hens out of the state.
3 comments:
I think this article shows how hypocritical some can be. To want to have eggs come from hens that are not in terrible living conditions is understandable, but when the cage-free egg sales are not equivalent or exceeding those of non-cage free eggs the logic is not there. Cage-free eggs are more expensive in comparison to those that come from non-cage free hens. This must be the reasoning for the sales not being equivalent to the feelings of many consumers. In reference to Pareto Optimality, not harming the hens today will not affect the future of this market. Cost plays a major role in why some sell eggs from hens that are caged and not. When we, as consumers, purchase this good, we should rationalize the reasoning of purchasing this good with the future in mind. Personally, it is important to me to not condone and add to the harsh treatments of animals so I purchase cage-free eggs.
I agree that it is hypocritical for the eggs to be more expensive for cage free eggs but it is logical as the expense of making the bigger cages is more costly than the cages which are presently used. I believe that if consumers are willing to buy a product and it is a lucrative market for the producers of the products, consumers should certainly have a choice of what products they buy and how they were prepared. This can be applicable to a variety of consumer needs and wants including but not limited to kosher foods, animals raising techniques, vegan foods, dietary specialty foods (i.e. gluten free), etc. We live in an area where the choice is very important to a lot of people. With this being said the consumer must be able to afford the high cost that is associated with the expenses applicable to the special preparation of the product. With this being said, there are plenty of consumers around the world that simply do not have the resources to spend on such things as cage free eggs and must concern themselves with other things as how to pay the rent and provide enough food to last the week for their families. Times of economic hardship certainly affect specialty industries as discussed in the blog.
I agree with the two postings above. When it comes down to it people are more concerned with the cost of the product than the health of the hens. What they are not taking into consideration is all the growth hormones and what that is doing to their health. We may save a dollar or two today but what is that costing us in the future?
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