GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A new Michigan law requiring stores to sell only cage-free eggs is now in effect.

The bipartisan legislation, originally passed in 2009, was set to take effect at the end of 2019 but was expanded and delayed after pressure from the U.S. Humane Society. The law prohibits the sale of eggs from hens confined in ways that don’t meet cage-free standards. Hens must be free to roam and have enough space to lie down, stand up, extend their limbs, and turn around.

The Michigan Retailers Association, which represents 5,000 businesses, says stores had ample time to adapt.

“A lot of them have been shifting their inventory over time as well, and making sure that the suppliers they’re sourcing from are in compliance with the law,” said Vic Veda, the association’s vice president of communications. “Retailers just need to make sure that their suppliers are compliant.”

SpartanNash, one of the association’s member businesses, confirmed compliance, adding in a statement: “We are in compliance with the new law and, as always, continue to ensure our stores provide affordable nutrition for our guests.”

The law does not apply to liquid or cooked egg products or eggs from farms with fewer than 3,000 hens.

Research from Michigan State University highlights the challenges for producers, noting that cage-free facilities require double the investment, more workers, specialized labor, and additional feed compared to caged systems. Building such facilities takes about two to three years well within the five year window between the law’s passage and implementation.

Some producers already transitioned entirely to cage-free systems. Saranac-based Herbruck’s completed theirs by the end of 2023.

“Cage-free is the future for both birds and consumers,” said the company’s president in a February statement. “We know the market is demanding premium eggs from healthy hens.”

While some consumers may worry about rising egg prices, Veda clarified that the law is not the cause.

“The price changes that we’re seeing in eggs are more due to the bird flu epidemic than this law going into effect,” Veda said.

With the law now in place, cage-free eggs are no longer just an option for Michigan shoppers they’re the standard.