In recent years, egg production has been in the spotlight for animal welfare issues. While the number of European farms with free-range hens has increased, in Spain, 93 percent of laying hens are still caged. This also contributes to the industry’s environmental burden. In the rest of the EU, the figure is much lower (40 percent) due to a growing concern for animal welfare. A team of Spanish scientists has reported the environmental cost of egg production in a typical farm in Spain.