University of Bern — Higher Welfare Cage-Free Systems

[Cage-Free Reforms] Grant investigator: Lewis Bollard This page was reviewed but not written by the grant investigator. University of Bern staff also reviewed this page prior to publication. The Open Philanthropy Project recommended a grant of $150,000 to the University of Bern to develop and implement a pilot project for U.S. egg producers, equipment installers, and USDA extension agents to learn about management of high-welfare, cage-free systems in Switzerland, Sweden, Holland, and Belgium. The funds will support Dr. Michael Toscano, Group Leader of Switzerland’s Centre for Proper Housing of Poultry and Rabbits, and colleagues to develop the educational program and deploy it with approximately 20 U.S. producers, installers, and extension agents. Due to Switzerland’s ban of battery cages in 1992, its producers and scientists have more than 25 years of experience managing cage-free systems. This is a discretionary grant and falls within our focus area of farm animal welfare.