Australia's consumer affairs ministers have adopted a definition of "free range" eggs that allows eggs from hens kept at a stocking density of up to 10,000 birds per hectare — one bird per square metre — to be sold as "free range".
This definition reflects pressure from industrial egg producers. Animal welfare advocates had supported the CSIRO's Model Code of Practice, which sets a limit of 1500 birds per hectare.
Animal advocacy group Voiceless said the ministers had "bowed to industry pressure". Consumer group Choice's spokesperson Tom Godfrey said: "Genuine free range farmers think it's going to put their businesses in jeopardy".
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