Nationals leader calls for extension as animal rights advocates argue the timeline is too long and accuse egg lobbyists of ‘fear-mongering’

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Caged eggs could be phased out across Australia by 2036, pending a final decision by the country’s agriculture ministers at a meeting in Perth on Thursday.

The ministers are meeting to discuss and potentially adopt the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry. The framework was developed over seven years before being finalised last year.

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