Published Letters and Op-Eds from
COK’s Writers Group

Caged Hens Being Mistreated by Egg Industry

BY ERICA MEIER

In Paul Sauder’s Sept. 3 opinion piece (“Industry standards ensure a good egg”) he rightly noted that “consumers want honesty.” Yet he failed to share with readers the hard-boiled truth about the egg industry.

While it’s true that more than 80 percent of egg producers in the U.S. participate in the United Egg Producers’ (UEP) voluntary certification program, there are some other important facts consumers should know.

When the UEP launched its program in 2002, it was titled “Animal Care Certified”—and egg cartons nationwide were soon stamped with an “Animal Care Certified” logo. In 2003 and again in 2004 upon appeal, the Better Business Bureau deemed this logo “misleading” because it conveyed to consumers a higher level of animal care than was actually the case.

In fact, the program permits producers to confine hens in wire battery cages so restrictive, they can’t even stretch their wings. A 2000 Zogby poll revealed that more than 85 percent of U.S. consumers find this practice unacceptable.

Yet, despite the Better Business Bureau’s efforts to protect consumers from the deceptive “Animal Care Certified” logo, the egg industry continued to use this seal—and consumers continued to be misled. So much for “consumer honesty.”

After the Better Business Bureau referred the case to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for potential legal action, in September 2005, the FTC announced the end to this false advertising scheme, and, as of April 1, the “Animal Care Certified” logo was to be gone from store shelves.

Regardless of what the industry programs may be called, the reality is that more than 95 percent of eggs in this country come from caged birds who are barely able to move for nearly their entire lives.

Many experts agree that battery cages cause tremendous suffering and deprive birds of many of their most basic needs. You can see for yourself by visiting www.EggIndustry.com. If the egg industry in the U.S. is truly concerned about reducing the suffering of its almost 300 million laying hens, the very first step it should take is to end its confinement of birds in battery cages.

Several countries in Europe have already done away from this archaic and cruel system of chicken confinement, and it’s time the U.S. did the same.

ERICA MEIER is executive director of Compassion Over Killing, based in Washington.