The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), in partnership with the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), has completed its public consultation process on the proposed certification guidelines for cage-free egg production.
The consultation, which began in August 2024 last year and carried on recently in Cebu this April, provided stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute feedback on the development of the guidelines aimed to “ensure transparency and truth in the promotion, declaration, labeling, and marketing of cage-free and free-range chicken eggs to avoid misrepresentation, fraud, and protect consumers against false advertising of eggs sold in the market.
Dr. Hyacinth Napiloy, Head of the Animal Health and Welfare Division of BAI, said that this initiative reflects BAI’s ongoing commitment to advancing animal welfare standards while supporting sustainable and ethical farming practices. She added that the public consultation seeks valuable feedback from the stakeholders to ensure the final standard is practical, transparent, and aligns with current best practices in animal welfare, food safety, and environmental stewardship.
Egg farm owners and operators came together to share insights and push for robust cage-free certification standards.
Throughout the consultation, submissions were received from a wide range of participants, including producers, animal welfare organizations, and industry experts. Their valuable inputs will be instrumental in shaping a certification framework that is practical, science-based, and aligned with both consumer expectations and industry capabilities.
Atty. Heidi Caguioa, the Program Director for AKF, said that the certification also aims to protect the cage-free producers who have invested in more ethical and sustainable egg production. This will also address the rising interest of consumers for cage-free eggs and protect them against unsubstantiated claims.
The BAI is currently reviewing all feedback and will consolidate responses alongside the finalized standards in the coming months. The final framework is expected to support transparent labeling and consumer confidence while encouraging the transition to more humane farming practices across the egg production sector.
Stakeholders from the egg industry, including egg farm owners and farm representatives, physically attended the public consultations to discuss the nature of the certification and its importance in implementing it.
The BAI and the AKF thank all participants for their engagement and contributions to this important initiative.
For more information and updates, please visit: www.akfrescues.org or FB / IG @akfanimalrescue.
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