BACK in 2021, egg farmers were donating pallets of their produce to help thousands of Victorians and their families in need of emergency food relief due to the financial impact of COVID-19.

Fast forward two years and it is now egg farmers that need support according to The Nationals Federal Leader and shadow minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud.

Following a meeting between agriculture ministers - state and federal - in Perth on Thursday, the phase out of layer hen cages has been brought forward from 2046 to 2036.

This has egg farmers angry and threatening to demand compensation packages.

Federal Agriculture minister, Murray Watt, and his state counterparts endorsed an updated version of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry at the meeting to bring forward the end date.

Farmers’ bodies and the shadow agriculture minister argued it would hurt farmers financially.

Moreover, some said it could lead to eggs costing as much as $15 per carton.

Mr Littleproud said animal welfare standards were already being met.

“What the government needs to understand is that animal welfare is being looked after now,” he said.

“Any change won’t change that - but what will change is if farmers need to pay more for the infrastructure to meet new standards.

“If they have to pivot again - that means more money - which means (consumers) have to pay for it. 

“Farmers have made investment decisions worth millions of dollars, predicated on (the original date).”

While most of the nation’s eggs are produced in New South Wales and Queensland, Mr Littleproud said that all state governments needed to step up for their egg farmers.

“We don’t need to rush this process,” he said.

“The science in relation to caged eggs isn’t conclusive.

“Our egg farmers deserve support, not surprises, from state governments.”

He said common sense needed to prevail combined with more consultation to ensure investment confidence for farmers, while also continuing to provide fresh and healthy produce to consumers.

“Any changes would effectively be a retrospective decision and farmers will have to bear the cost, which is unfair and un-Australian,” Mr Littleproud said.

“The unintended consequences will also mean higher egg prices for consumers.”

In a press release last month, Egg Farmers Australia said they would demand compensation from the State Government if the end date was brought forward.

They said cages currently made up 50 per cent of the nation’s total egg production.

They have been pushing for the date to remain at 2046 to ensure caged egg production can continue in existing conventional cages.

Egg Farmers Australia chair, Bede Burke, also said cage egg farmers needed the extra time to adjust financially.

“The proposal for a staggered five-year phase out is unrealistic,” he said.

“We want them to hold off on any phase out of conventional caged eggs until 2046.

“That’s because it can take 30 years to pay-off bank debt on existing cage infrastructure,” Mr Burke said.

However, Agriculture minister, Murray Watt, was unmoved by the debate put by farmers groups and the Opposition and said the consumers were already changing to cage free eggs.

“Most of the retailers and big manufacturing companies that use eggs are already moving towards more humane methods of raising hens,” he said.

Mr Littleproud said “history shows us - and so does New Zealand - that if you want to change circumstances in which production is undertaken by farmers - and they have to invest in more infrastructure - someone has to pay for it.

“Ultimately that will be the consumer”.