Ballot or legislative proposals that are being pursued in four states would effectively make egg producers transition housing to cage-free egg production systems.

The initiatives are being pursued by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and essentially would require that any farm animal not be confined or tethered in such a way that it cannot lie down, stand up, turn around and fully extend its limbs. The initiatives specifically address cage production systems for hens and stall systems for sows and veal calves.

HSUS is pushing this in the form of legislative proposals in Colorado, Washington and New Hampshire and in the form of a ballot initiative in California, where it would be decided by voters this fall.

If an HSUS consortium of activist groups succeeds in collecting enough signatures for the initiative to go to California voters, and if voters approve the measure, the effect on egg producers would be significant, according to an analysis by the United Egg Producers (UEP).

For California producers to maintain egg production at current levels, they would need to convert all existing cage-production houses to cage free and construct 515 new cage-free houses to accommodate larger space requirements for cage-free production systems at a cost of $500 million, not counting land costs, according to the analysis.

If the legislative proposal is adopted in Colorado, producers there, to maintain egg production at current levels, would need to remodel all existing houses and construct 100 new houses at a cost of $110 million, not counting land costs, the analysis determined.

UEP noted that HSUS already has said it will take the proposal to Colorado voters if it does not succeed in the Colorado legislature.

If the legislative proposal is adopted in Washington, producers there would need to remodel all existing houses and construct 125 new houses at a cost of $155 million, not counting land costs, the analysis found.

There are no commercial egg producers in New Hampshire.