Summary

Canada has avoided the severe egg shortages and soaring prices seen in the U.S. due to differences in farming practices and regulations.

While avian flu has devastated large American egg farms, Canada’s smaller farms and tightly sealed barns have limited the impact.

The U.S.’s industrialized egg industry, driven by cost efficiency, is vulnerable to supply shocks when outbreaks occur.

Canada’s supply management system ensures stable production and restricts imports, keeping farms smaller. Meanwhile, U.S. consumers face continued egg price surcharges and supply pressures.

  • FauxPseudo @lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Yes and no. Free range in America means “raised in a huge building and never seeing sunlight.” Basically what separates them from cage free is that thousands of birds all share one giant cage instead of four birds to a cage inside the larger cage.

    Pasture raised are the ones that get to go outside and eat bugs in the sunshine.

    • HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works
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      23 hours ago

      Free range vs pasture raised in America

      Canada is a bit different in its designations. ‘Free run’ means they’re in the barn and ‘free range’ means they have access outside the barn (weather permitting ofc).

    • protist@mander.xyz
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      1 day ago

      The chickens that are outside eating bugs in the sunshine are the most likely to catch avian flu due to exposure to wild birds 😕

      • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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        13 hours ago

        they are more spread out, so less chance of getting h5n1, some brands use pasture, garden raised and they are less likely to be recalled for avian flu, of course these are more expensive too.

        when you are super-crowded indoors, viruses spread more easily.

        • protist@mander.xyz
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          9 hours ago

          Do you have a source that free range chickens are less likely to get avian flu? Because in the article it mentions chickens that don’t have contact with nature outside a facility are less likely to get it

      • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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        24 hours ago

        But if they do catch it, they’re way less likely to spread it to a literal million other chickens, so there’s that

    • vxx@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      And they pick each other to death in those “free range” areas.