Egg Innovations is setting a new standard in the U.S. egg industry by becoming the first company in the country to implement in-ovo sexing technology, a move aimed at eliminating the practice of male chick culling. This step affirms the company’s commitment to humane animal care and sustainable farming practices, positioning it as a leader in ethical egg production.
Europe has been at the forefront of adopting innovative animal welfare technologies, and its leadership in implementing in-ovo sexing practices sets a precedent for the rest of the world. Recent research from Innovate Animal Ag (IAA) shows that the technology has a 15% market penetration use in the E.U., with Germany having banned culling male chicks since January 2022. European egg producers are using the in-ovo sexing technology to address ethical concerns and improve sustainability in the industry. By determining the sex of embryos before hatching, these producers have been able to virtually eliminate the practice of male chick culling, a significant step forward in humane animal treatment.
John Brunnquell, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Egg Innovations, emphasized the company’s founding ethos of humane care, which is at the heart of their mission, saying, “This commitment to in-ovo sexing is a huge step as we will be able to label our products’ free of chick culling.’ While it’s an unknown if the market is ready to embrace this, we know it’s the right thing to do. We are excited to trailblaze with this technology in the U.S. for the well-being of our products, customers, and industry.”
Egg Innovations plans to leverage its Helpful Hens brand, known for regenerative farming practices, to introduce this ethical commitment nationwide by 2025, aligning with its longstanding commitment to animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Recognized as the 2024 Ethical Farming Company of the Year and the Most Sustainable Egg Farming Business 2023 in the U.S., Egg Innovations leads in regenerative agriculture practices and the ethical treatment of animals. The company’s farming approach prioritizes animal welfare and supports over 100 family farms, focusing on a humane and sustainable egg production process.
Industry experts and animal welfare organizations, including Innovate Animal Ag and the ASPCA, have lauded Egg Innovations for its groundbreaking move. They see in-ovo sexing technology as a vital step towards eliminating chick culling. "We are excited to see Egg Innovations recognize the powerful business proposition of selling eggs produced without culling in the U.S. market. The introduction of in-ovo sexing technology will allow for specialty egg producers to create a new higher-margin category of more ethical eggs that will be better for the chicks, producers, and consumers. This is a large step towards eliminating chick culling in the U.S. egg industry,” stated Robert Yaman, CEO of Innovate Animal Ag.
Senior Director of ASPCA Farm Animal Welfare, Nancy Roulston, agreed, “For decades now, billions of newly hatched male chicks have been culled every year—making this one of the most urgent farm animal welfare issues today. Now that in-ovo sexing technology is commercially available, we can envision a future that renders the routine culling of male chicks obsolete in egg production. We are thrilled that Egg Innovations has committed to just that, and we urge others across the egg industry to adopt this groundbreaking technology to advance animal welfare.”
