In this transitional stage in the egg industry, producers are scrambling to address public concerns of the day. How does sustainability relate to cage, cage-free or free-range production? These changes impose recognition of bias, risks on business, economics, and affects their sustainability decisions. Sustainability definitions have changed significantly over the last 45 years. The first definition was “to keep up or keep going, as an action or process; or to supply with food, drink, and other necessities of life”. Three recent publications have supported this original definition. The laying hens today are smaller, better livability, higher and persistent levels of production, produce larger eggs with better shell quality, and with better feed efficiency resulting in less waste production. These documented changes have taken place over time, as breeding companies applied quantitative genetic selection to improve performance of their hens. These sustainability changes were due to genetic selection, understanding of nutrition, and improved vaccinations for diseases that have taken place over the years. However, today’s definition of sustainability as “the ability to maintain at a certain rate or level and the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance” is changing the US egg industry’s systematic assessment of production system sustainability. The public focus, driven by the 25 to 35 year age group is having a dramatic effect on the egg industry in the US. Sustainability for them means being responsible stewards of land, water and feed management, and maintaining and advocating for the humane treatment of our most important asset: our chickens. The goals of the egg industry is to meet the needs and expectations of the future generation and to feed the earths growing population with less land and reduced use of resources. How to balance hen well-being with increasing food demands, decreasing environmental impacts, improving the social and economic well-being of agricultural communities are imperative while helping improve human health as components of sustainability.
Key Words: Egg Industry, Egg Production, Sustainability, Societal Influence