Victoria to end caged egg farming, despite free range bird-flu surge

Governments are forging ahead with the phase out of caged hens, despite a surge in bird flu outbreaks on free-range poultry farms.

State and territory governments are forging ahead with the phase out of caged hens, despite surging bird flu outbreaks among free range poultry.

Every one of the avian influenza outbreaks to hit Australia since 2012 started when free-range poultry picked up the virus from wild birds, according to state government incident reports.

Yet all state and territory governments remain committed to banning traditional caged-egg farming systems by 2036, prompting industry warnings it would lead to more AI outbreaks, supply slumps and higher egg prices.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Ros Spence’s office said the Allan Labor Government was committed to the phase out, which would still allow farmers to use large furnished cages and barns, as well as free range.

“We have consulted extensively with the Victorian poultry industry to understand potential impacts of the poultry standards and guidelines and will continue to work with producers on how best to implement these new standards, including the phase out of conventional cages,” she said.

Former Egg Farmers Australia director and Werribee caged-egg producer Brian Ahmed said: “I have not been consulted and I do not know any Victorian caged egg farmer who has been.

“They (government) want tighter biosecurity, but then want the birds let out.”.

As for using furnished cages, he said a trial on his farm showed they were unviable and led to birds cannibalising each other.

Some of Australia’s leading avian veterinarians have warned there was glaring disconnect between governments calling for tighter biosecurity and then agreeing to phase out caged-hen systems as part of new animal welfare standards.

Last week Agriculture Victoria announced a fourth free-range poultry farm near Euroa had come down with high pathogenicity AI, leading chief veterinarian Cameron Bell to order all poultry owners within 5kms to lock up their birds to prevent contact with diseased wild birds.

The latest outbreaks came just three weeks after Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins declared Australia had “eradicated” the virus that hit 12 commercial Victorian and NSW farms from May to July last year.

Veterinary authorities have repeatedly warned AI spill over events from wild birds into poultry were on rise, as animal welfare groups and supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths push caged eggs off the shelf to promote free range.

In 2020 a group of government and university researchers, who analysed past outbreaks, reported “the increase in free range production raises concerns due to the increased potential contact between wild birds and domestic poultry and the subsequent introduction of pathogens such as avian influenza.

“Vegetative range areas and dams on free range farms can provide permanent residence for nomadic Australian waterfowl on farms and therefore a constant source of AIV infection to poultry.”

Victorian Farmers Federation egg group president Meg Parkinson said: “When the decision about the animal welfare standards was made, the needs of the consumer was not taken into account.

“This was a weakness which was not recognised at the time. VFF is concerned that this decision will continue to lead to a shortage of eggs on the supermarket shelf when combined with the Avian influenza outbreaks.

“We would like consumers to be able to buy the eggs they want, when they want, where they want.”

AI OUTBREAKS

2012: The H7N7 AI virus was detected in a free-range chicken layer flock of 50,000 in the Hunter Valley, NSW. The property had a range of dams that attracted wild ducks.

2013: H7N2 virus was detected in a free-range layer flock at Young, NSW, and spread to caged birds (400,000 birds affected).

2020: H7N7 virus was detected in three free-range egg farms in Victoria. Other outbreaks of the low pathogenicity AI occurred in turkeys and emus.

2024: H7 AI outbreaks hits 12 commercial poultry farms in Victoria and NSW. All started on free-range poultry farms.

2025: H7N8 was detected in four free range egg farms near Euroa in Victoria.