Thanks to an outcry from concerned consumers,
over 100 major grocery stores,
including Costco, Target, and Walmart, have recently pledged to stop selling
eggs from chickens kept in battery cages—a cruel yet common industry practice—over
the next few years. These corporate commitments are the latest sign that the
era of extreme animal confinement is coming to an end. Seven states have already
outlawed or restricted the use of battery cages.
over 100 major grocery stores,
including Costco, Target, and Walmart, have recently pledged to stop selling
eggs from chickens kept in battery cages—a cruel yet common industry practice—over
the next few years. These corporate commitments are the latest sign that the
era of extreme animal confinement is coming to an end. Seven states have already
outlawed or restricted the use of battery cages.
But under an outrageous new Iowa law, these corporate
cage-free promises may have just become illegal. Today, Iowa governor Kim Reynolds
signed HF 2408, an
unprecedented measure that would actually force
grocery stores to sell eggs from hens in battery cages. That’s right: This law would
require private businesses to sell a product their customers no longer want. So
much for a “free market.
cage-free promises may have just become illegal. Today, Iowa governor Kim Reynolds
signed HF 2408, an
unprecedented measure that would actually force
grocery stores to sell eggs from hens in battery cages. That’s right: This law would
require private businesses to sell a product their customers no longer want. So
much for a “free market.
Hens at battery facilities are crowded for
nearly their entire lives in wire cages so small the birds can’t even spread
their wings. Numerous MFA undercover investigations have revealed
the ongoing torture that extreme confinement inflicts on these smart, sensitive
creatures. Additionally, studies have shown that battery-cage eggs are far more likely to carry salmonella, a
major food safety risk for consumers.
nearly their entire lives in wire cages so small the birds can’t even spread
their wings. Numerous MFA undercover investigations have revealed
the ongoing torture that extreme confinement inflicts on these smart, sensitive
creatures. Additionally, studies have shown that battery-cage eggs are far more likely to carry salmonella, a
major food safety risk for consumers.
Why, then, are Iowa lawmakers bending over
backwards to preserve this cruel, unsafe, and outdated industry? Maybe it has
to do with the fact that Iowa is the nation’s biggest producer of factory-farmed
eggs. Indeed, Iowa lawmakers appear to have been in the egg industry’s pocket
for decades.
backwards to preserve this cruel, unsafe, and outdated industry? Maybe it has
to do with the fact that Iowa is the nation’s biggest producer of factory-farmed
eggs. Indeed, Iowa lawmakers appear to have been in the egg industry’s pocket
for decades.
When Iowans became concerned about factory farm cruelty back
in 1994, state lawmakers responded by amending Iowa’s animal cruelty law to
exempt “customary animal
husbandry practices—effectively making every factory farming practice legal just
because it was common. When rural communities spoke out against the industry in
1995, Iowa lawmakers tied their hands by stripping local
government of zoning authority over factory farms.
in 1994, state lawmakers responded by amending Iowa’s animal cruelty law to
exempt “customary animal
husbandry practices—effectively making every factory farming practice legal just
because it was common. When rural communities spoke out against the industry in
1995, Iowa lawmakers tied their hands by stripping local
government of zoning authority over factory farms.
When California voters and lawmakers overwhelmingly approved
laws phasing out battery-cage eggs in 2008 and 2009, Iowa’s then-governor butted
in, unsuccessfully suing
to overturn the law—and the state’s congressional representative is now trying to overturn
it too.
laws phasing out battery-cage eggs in 2008 and 2009, Iowa’s then-governor butted
in, unsuccessfully suing
to overturn the law—and the state’s congressional representative is now trying to overturn
it too.
And when a major Iowa battery-cage egg farm caused a salmonella
outbreak in 2010 that sickened thousands nationwide, lawmakers noted that it had
painted “a very
disturbing picture of egg production in America. Yet
instead of taking action to prevent these abuses, the Iowa legislature passed
an “ag-gag
law meant to keep them hidden from the public by silencing
whistleblowers. (Fortunately, a federal judge sentenced
the egg farmer to prison, and the ag-gag law may soon
be found unconstitutional.)
outbreak in 2010 that sickened thousands nationwide, lawmakers noted that it had
painted “a very
disturbing picture of egg production in America. Yet
instead of taking action to prevent these abuses, the Iowa legislature passed
an “ag-gag
law meant to keep them hidden from the public by silencing
whistleblowers. (Fortunately, a federal judge sentenced
the egg farmer to prison, and the ag-gag law may soon
be found unconstitutional.)
With this latest law, the position of Iowa legislators is
abundantly clear: They don’t want people to know about factory farming, they
don’t want laws to improve it, and they certainly don’t want consumers to do
anything about it.
abundantly clear: They don’t want people to know about factory farming, they
don’t want laws to improve it, and they certainly don’t want consumers to do
anything about it.
Mercy For Animals condemns this outrageous
assault on animals, consumers, and the free market in the strongest possible
terms and will continue to call for food providers to set basic minimum
standards that include removing battery cages from their supply chains.
assault on animals, consumers, and the free market in the strongest possible
terms and will continue to call for food providers to set basic minimum
standards that include removing battery cages from their supply chains.
Of course, the simplest and most effective
thing each of us can do to prevent
animal cruelty is simply to stop paying for it. Please visit TheGreenPlate.com to
learn how you can move toward a compassionate plant-based diet.
thing each of us can do to prevent
animal cruelty is simply to stop paying for it. Please visit TheGreenPlate.com to
learn how you can move toward a compassionate plant-based diet.
