In the West, cage-free has by and large been driven by public demand for higher welfare products and humane farming practices. While some of the challenges and solutions are translatable, changes in China will not replicate those of the EU or US. Policies must be implemented as sustainable actions that meets environmental, societal, and economic needs of the targeted communities. 

We need approaches that are rooted in the cultural context of China, and the particularities of the Chinese egg industry and consumer preferences. We must strengthen the coalition of stakeholders to improve the quality of life of birds, farmers and citizens, by promoting healthy, safe and high-quality cage-free egg production.

Dr. Ashley Bright recently spoke at the FAI webinar held in April titled “Targeted barriers and levers to increase cage-free egg production in China”.  Dr. Bright holds a PhD in animal welfare from the University of Oxford and has worked for FAI in the UK, China and Brazil. After returning to her home country of New Zealand in 2019, she has been an independent consultant. In 2022, Ashleigh was awarded a Tiny Beam Fellowship to investigate the barriers and levers to cage-free egg production in China. 

Dr. Bright presented on the causes of egg producer-buyer disconnect in China and suggest strategies to improve alignment.