Last week, Regional and Agricultural Minister Piret Hartman (SDE) dismissed the Agricultural and Food Board's (PTA) director, in part because that agency was reportedly unwilling or unable to respond to animal welfare issues adequately.

One of the last straws was reportedly the covert footage, aired by "Pealtnägija" and showing battery hens as farmed by Linnu Talu, in Valga County.

A year ago, "Pealtnägija" had already reported how a member of animal rights NGO Nähtamatud Loomad had worked undercover in three major battery hen farms in Estonia, secretly recording systemic various alleged violations and deficiencies.

At that time, these farms had reportedly received numerous precepts from the PTA to rectify the deficiencies found.

However, the new footage that emerged in late summer revealed that not much has changed with Linnu Talu. The images and videos, submitted on a flash drive, include time stamps and GPS coordinates as proof.

Kristina Mering, head of Nähtamatud Loomad, said: "They (the caged hens – ed.) have just a few shafts of feathers sticking out, their necks are bare, and their backs are featherless. We can see injuries and how they have to climb over carcasses to reach food."

Jarno Hermet, business manager at Linnu Talu, acknowledged that if the footage does indeed show their farm, there are "certain shortcomings" that need to be addressed.

He also said he was concerned about how an unauthorized person had managed to enter the farm's premises at night, attacking ETV for using footage so obtained.

"My biggest fear is that whoever this person was, they could have brought bacteria, diseases, or viruses into our farm, which could devastate the entire operation," Hermet continued.

"To my mind, such an intrusion is unacceptable and illegal, and it is quite baffling that a respected show like Pealtnägija would cooperate with such individuals."

Mering said the individual responsible for the footage is not a Nähtamatud Loomad employee, while the authors identified themselves solely as animal lovers.

"They said, 'Don't try to find us, as you won't.' They stressed that what is important are the birds, and about speaking out about their plight," Mering added.

Inge Saavo, head of the PTA's southern region, agreed with farm owners that the undercover operation posed a greater risk to the animals rather than revealing any new information.

Both officials and the farm representatives conceded that while some chickens appear to be alarmed, they are not necessarily suffering.

"While in cages, wings can get damaged, and feathers may break, but at present, this is considered acceptable," Saavo added.

Saavo said that Linnu Talu, which houses around 100,000 birds, was inspected five times after last year's investigation by Nähtamad Loomad, most recently in early September.

The inspections revealed overcrowding in some cages and missing pecking mats and nesting areas, issues which have since been mostly resolved, she went on.

Both officials and farm representatives argue that the new footage therefore only highlights minor and already known issues, not major violations.

For example, both parties stated they considered the presence of parasites to be unavoidable.

Linnu Talu's Jarno Hermet said: "The problem with chicken mites, which are tiny, is minimal."

"These mites live in poultry farms everywhere, hiding in equipment and manure. They become active at night, but by the time we collect eggs in the morning, everything is clean again," he went on.

Saavo agreed that this matter does not merit a warning from the PTA.

Another, notable concern raised is the presence of containers filled with carcasses, which suggests either a high mortality rate or infrequent waste disposal.

To the untrained eye, what are effectively signs of cannibalism among the chickens are the most shocking.

Hermet conceded that this phenomenon is regrettable but inevitable in large-scale poultry or livestock operations due to overcrowding.

"When different factors happen, like hot summer weather, high humidity, or excessive light from ventilation openings, the hens can get stressed. Cannibalism is one of the ways this stress manifests," Hermet went on.

Activists argue that industrial battery hen farming is inherently unnatural and amounts to animal cruelty.

For example, current regulations only require about the space per hen of a size barely larger than an A4 sheet of paper.

Hermet disagreed with this stance, arguing that the space is adequate, and added that modern cage and free-range systems were designed by scientists in the 1990s.

750 square centimeters per bird was deemed adequate.

"Clearly, each cage is large enough for about twenty birds to move around freely," he said.

Mering countered by saying the underlying assumptions are flawed.

The chickens "can't take a single step on the ground through their lifespan," Mering said.

"They never get to go outside; their whole lives are spent in this dark, cramped metal cage, in which constant noise engulfs them. They never get to perch properly, as the 'perch' in these cages is a 10-centimeter-high bar which can even be a hazard, as sometimes birds can get stuck under it," she went on.

Change may be on the horizon, however.

Activists have been pushing for a complete transition to free-range systems. The Ministry of Agriculture in mid-September introduced a plan to bar the construction of new battery cage farms by 2026, and to prohibit keeping egg-laying hens in cages entirely by 2035.

Minister Hartman said it was a matter which could do with squaring away.

"The history of this issue is so long now; so why don't we just make a decision? Let's bring all parties to the table, think things through, and make a decision such that everyone knows where we're heading. This lack of decisiveness has been the most frustrating part for me," Hartman went on.

Hartman, who has been in office as regional affairs minister for several months now, acknowledged that activist pressure has also played a role with regard to her stance, especially as critics have long claimed that the PTA is sluggish, toothless, and biased in favor of larger producers.

At the time the "Pealtnägija" interview was held, Hartman had already decided to terminate the PTA director's employment – though had not made it public at that point.

"A number of serious problems have surfaced during these five months, and they must be taken seriously, which is exactly what I am doing," she added.

Large-scale producers do concede that free-range farming has its own challenges, even economic ones, including higher costs and mortality rates, and say that transition is inevitable.

This shift will ultimately lead to higher egg prices for consumers, they say.

"Free-range systems are costlier, with higher feed costs, labor costs, and electricity usage, due to ventilation. Cleaning takes longer, and more eggs are lost," Hermet said.

Mering meanwhile said that consumers should not be asking why free-range eggs are 10 cents more expensive, and instead ask why cage eggs are so cheap - and what corners are being cut to ensure that.

"Food production should not involve cruelty. It shouldn't be done at just any cost or under just any conditions. Animals deserve to live in good conditions, it's the least we owe them," Mering continued.

Nähtamatud Loomad had also pushed, successfully, for a ban on fur farming in Estonia. The ban came into effect in 2021.

The group has battery farms now in its sights and has stated that they would next deal with broiler chickens raised for meat.

The "Pealtnägija" segment is here.

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