In a company release on October 25th, Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) announced the start of a project at their Okeechobee, FL complex to supply cage-free eggs.  It is intended to erect two houses with a total capacity of 800,000 hens plus a pullet rearing barn for 210,000 birds.  The project is budgeted at $23 million.  Pullets are scheduled for placement in mid-May 2022 with the first of two aviary-equipped laying houses ready to receive birds at the beginning of October of that year followed by the second house in February 2023.

Dolph Baker, Chairman and CEO of Cal-Maine Foods noted, “This most recent expansion project in Florida supports our strategy to position Cal-Maine Foods as an industry leader in meeting the growing demand for specialty egg offerings include cage-free eggs.”  He added, “This expansion will further enhance our ability to serve this important market region with production and distribution”.

In the most recent annual report, Cal-Maine noted investment of $482 million since 2008 in facilities and installations to expand cage-free production.

The projected investment of $23 million to house 800,000 hens and 210,000 pullets represent an investment of $28 per laying hen. This presumes availability of a packing plant and feed mill and on-site infrastructure to supply three houses.