Egg Industry Ballot Measures Seek to Legalize Battery Cages in California

https://stoptherottenegginitiative.org/

Vote NO on Proposition (TBA)

“This initiative should be fiercely opposed by everyone who cares about farm animal suffering. HSUS’s collusion with the egg industry is disturbing. From legalizing battery cages to allowing as little as one square foot of space per hen — this initiative would be a disaster for millions of egg-laying hens who would still be left suffering in battery cages throughout California.”

— Friends of Animals (FoA)
Email Address*

Egg Industry Ballot Measures Seek to Legalize Battery Cages in California

The United Egg Producers and the Association of California Egg Farmers are each pushing measures for 2018 that would explicitly legalize battery cages throughout California.

In nearly identical measures, these industry trade associations are attempting to repeal California’s present hen-housing law which was overwhelmingly approved by voters 10 years ago. That law, though not without issues, states that egg-laying hens must be given enough space to be able to “fully spread both wings without touching the side of an enclosure or other egg-laying hens.”

The industry’s measures would repeal that — and replace it with language that explicitly legalizes battery cages throughout the state. And regardless of whether the hens are in cages or in horrific multi-level “cage-free” factory systems, the industry needs only to provide hens with one square foot of space per hen. For political cover, the United Egg Producers (UEP) is relying upon the co-opted Humane Society of the United States and tag-alongs who are gathering signatures to put the egg industry’s toxic measure on the ballot.

Read more >

4 thoughts on “Egg Industry Ballot Measures Seek to Legalize Battery Cages in California

  1. I wonder why some groups just absolutely insist on the most inhumane treatment of animals, especially when there are more humane alternatives? Something definitely wired wrong upstairs, IMO.

  2. Humane Farming Association

    The so-called “Humane Farming Association” often sends out fundraising appeals attacking animal protection groups like Farm Sanctuary and The Humane Society of the United States. Run by Bradley Miller, HFA is an organization that often aligns itself with animal abuse industries to oppose farm animal protection legislation.

    Fast Facts:

    HFA has never passed any legislation anywhere relating to the confinement of farm animals.
    HFA has never supported any anti-factory farming campaign that’s been placed on a ballot.
    HFA joined the Animal Agriculture Alliance in opposing California’s law prohibiting foie gras production. HFA not only campaigned against the measure to outlaw this hideous factory farming practice, it even took out advertisements against the bill urging its defeat.
    HFA refused to support California’s Prop 2 (the groundbreaking campaign to ban battery cages, gestation crates, and veal crates), instead choosing to remain neutral and allow the rest of the animal movement to fight the agribusiness industry.
    In similar anti-factory farming ballot measure campaigns in Arizona, Ohio, and Florida, and legislative efforts in other states, HFA was a bystander while other groups such as HSUS, Farm Sanctuary, and Mercy For Animals fought the factory farming interests.
    HFA joined with the National Pork Producers Council and National Cattleman’s Beef Association in opposing federal legislation that would have banned barren battery cages for egg-laying hens.
    A column in a June 2015 cockfighting magazine lauded HFA, noting that HFA’s campaigns against other animal advocacy groups “helps the cockfighters!” The editorial concludes: “Just like infighting tears the gamefowl community apart, we should be doing all we can to encourage groups like the Humane Farming Association so they can do the same in their community.”

Leave a reply to idaursine Cancel reply