California Raids the Nation's Henhouses

Starting on Jan. 1, every egg sold in California will have to come from hens that have enough space to lie down, stand up, spread their wings, and move freely. The state’s Department of Food and Agriculture says that means each bird needs at least 116 square inches of living space in its coop—a 73 percent increase from the industry standard of 67 square inches per bird , or less than a sheet of letter paper.

California is the fifth-biggest egg producer in the U.S., but it’s No. 1 in egg consumption. Almost a third of the eggs sold there come from out-of-state farms, and chicken farmers across the country are rushing to modify cages or go cage-free so they can continue selling in California. Jim Dean, the chief executive officer of Iowa’s Centrum Valley Farms, says he’s culled the flock at one facility to 800,000 birds from 1.5 million to relieve crowding. In June, California inspectors certified his business to continue selling in the state. “You’ll see new construction happen to be California-compliant,” Dean says.