Outgoing Michigan governor vetoes cage-free egg bill

Rick Snyder says there is insufficient scientific evidence that cage-free eggs are superior to conventional eggs in terms of animal welfare or food safety.In one of his last acts as governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder vetoed a bill that would establish the effective date of requirements that all eggs produced in Michigan come from cage-free laying systems.The 2009 law that created and phased in new standards for cage-free housing for certain animals would have been effective October 12, 2019. However, Senate Bill 660, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, would change that deadline, requiring cage-free chicken housing to begin Oct. 12, 2025.The bill, also known as the Animal Industry Act, also would require all eggs sold in Michigan come from cage-free hens in 2025. Additionally, it would extend the deadline for the removal of gestation stalls for sows from October 12, 2019 to April 1, 2020.