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

Truth about Eggs

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
March 13, 2008

Thank you for China Millman's article about the confusing labels often found on egg cartons ("On the Menu: How 'humane' is your food?" March 2). It's true that what consumers see or read on the outside of an egg carton doesn't necessarily represent how the hens who laid those eggs were treated. In fact, animal welfare claims on egg cartons are currently unregulated in the United States, enabling egg producers to mislead consumers with exaggerated and false claims.

More than 95 percent of eggs sold in the United States come from birds confined in wire battery cages so small they can barely even move—a practice that, according to recent polls, most consumers oppose. But without any federal oversight, it's not uncommon to find animal-friendly phrases or images of happy hens roaming around outside on packages of eggs from caged birds.

The Food and Drug Administration is accepting comments on a federal rule-making petition that would mandate the full disclosure of egg production methods on cartons, including the clear identification of "eggs from caged hens." Similar regulations have already been adopted throughout the European Union and in Australia. Visit www.EggIndustry.com to find out how you can demand truth in labeling on egg cartons in the United States.

Erica Meier
Executive director, Compassion Over Killing Washington, D.C.