we’re here to unscramble the egg
An egg is only as good as the hen that laid it.
And a hen is only as good as the farmer who raised it.
Providing for the welfare of egg laying hens is not only the right thing to do, it’s something farmers care deeply about. They know firsthand the importance of hen welfare—not just because their livelihoods depend on the health of their birds, or because it’s closely tied to increased productivity and better egg quality, but because it’s who they are. Farmers are caretakers at heart.
Our approach to hen welfare is born of that sense of care and is informed by decades of hands-on egg production experience. UEP was formed in 1968, and, in the following decades, two important cultural shifts transpired. One is that people began moving farther and farther away from the farms that grew their food. The other is that, simultaneously, consumers became increasingly conscious of the importance of animal welfare. Recognizing the need for an independent review of egg production practices, UEP set out on a mission to establish a science-backed set of guidelines driven by the industry rather than government mandates or legislation, which can be slow to respond to new welfare science. UEP developed the first industry animal welfare guidelines in the early 1980s. These guidelines created a level playing field and set a standard for both egg farmers and our customers.
Long before hen welfare became a mainstream topic of conversation, we pioneered the first welfare certification of its kind and introduced a cage-free egg certification in 2006. Developed by an independent Scientific Advisory Committee of leading experts, the UEP Certified Cage-Free guidelines have shaped animal agriculture standards worldwide. Grounded in scientific rigor, these guidelines reflect the highest standards of evidence-based hen welfare. Over the last 20 years, they have evolved, and will continue to, along with the science of animal welfare and findings from the committee. In the world of egg production and hen welfare, we don’t just follow standards—we set them.
UEP Cage-Free addresses the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare:
Hens have round-the-clock access to fresh feed and water. They can move freely throughout their housing and interact with other hens. Hens must be able to express natural behaviors such as dust bathing, nesting, perching and scratching. Cage-free housing protects hens from environmental threats like extreme weather and predators. Strict biosecurity defends against disease transmission while allowing for a continuous flow of fresh air. Based on advice from the independent Scientific Advisory Committee, these methods are implemented to help keep hens as healthy as possible and free from distress. You can learn more about cage-free housing systems here.
