IDEOLOGICAL WARFARE · Title: IDEOLOGICAL WARFARE Subject: IDEOLOGICAL WARFARE Keywords
United Egg Producers Animal Welfare or Warfare: Debate over Cage or Non-Cage Eggs.
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Transcript of United Egg Producers Animal Welfare or Warfare: Debate over Cage or Non-Cage Eggs.
United Egg Producers
Animal Welfare or Warfare:Debate over Cage or Non-Cage Eggs
United Egg Producers
• Animal agriculture is under fire• United Egg Producers Certified animal
welfare program• Science-Based Guidelines for the Science-Based Guidelines for the
Welfare of Laying HensWelfare of Laying Hens• Foodservice, retailers & consumer
benefits
Animal Welfare or Warfare: Debate over Cage or Non-Cage Eggs
United Egg Producers
Animal AgricultureIs Under Fire
United Egg Producers
Activist Groups
United Egg Producers
Activists are Advertising
United Egg Producers
Activists in the Food Industry
Activists are targeting chefs and restaurants:
• Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)• Wolfgang Puck• Red Lobster
United Egg Producers
Activists in the Food Industry
• Do the activists speak for everyone?
• Activists spread misinformation, not facts
United Egg Producers
Opposing Voices
United Egg Producers
Context is Everything for Consumers
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Animal
Car
e
Organ
ic
Brand R
eputa
tion
Health
/Nutri
tion
Portion, C
ut, Pac
kagin
g
Taste
Clean
lines
s/Saf
ety
Quality
Price
United Egg Producers
Hierarchy of Concerns
High interest/ concern(8-10)
Medium interest/ concern
(4-7)
Low interest/ concern
(1-3)
FOOD SAFETY: Assurance that the food you eat is disease-free
72 22 6
BIO-SECURITY: Assurance that farms provide adequate safeguards to ensure that the U.S. food supply is not tampered with
66 27 6
FARM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: Assurance that farms ensure adequate safeguards for the preservation of air and water quality in their areas
52 36 12
ANIMAL WELFARE: Assurance that the food you eat comes from animals that receive proper care
44 37 19
PACKAGING: Assurance that the food I purchase is packaged in a manner that is easily recyclable
33 43 23
United Egg Producers
How Do You Balancethe Information?
United Egg Producers
United Egg ProducersCertified Animal Welfare
Program
United Egg Producers
UEP And U.S. Egg Industry
• UEP trade association with 95% of industry members
• 290 million egg-laying hens in U.S
• Per capita consumption – 255 eggs per year
• 98% of eggs produced in cages
United Egg Producers
Research
When purchasing eggs, what are consumers choosing?
13%
23%
95%
98%-- Eggs from cage production
2%--Eggs from Non-cage production
98%
2%
United Egg Producers
Why An Industry Animal Welfare Program?
• Animal activists forced their agenda upon consumers, retailers and legislators in Europe
• The European Union Directives were based more upon personal opinions or emotions than science
• EU producers, retailers and consumers had no voice in the changes
• Most EU poultry scientists did not support the directives
United Egg Producers
UEP’s Animal Welfare Mission
• Scientific approach to animal welfare guidelines• Guidelines based upon scientific research
instead of personal opinions or emotions• Guidelines that are driven by the industry rather than government mandates or legislation• Guidelines that create a level playing field for both egg producers and the marketplace (our customers)
United Egg Producers
Scientific Committee For Animal Welfare
Starting in 1999• An independent Scientific Advisory
Committee chaired by Dr. Jeff Armstrong, Dean of Agriculture & Natural Resources at Michigan State University
• Dr. Armstrong selected:– Five (5) additional university representatives– One (1) private veterinarian– Two (2) USDA – ARS representatives– One (1) member of the American Humane Association
United Egg Producers
Scientific Committee Assignment
• Review all available scientific research papers
• Visit egg production farms, cage manufacturers, breeder companies
• Consider all production systems but primarily focus upon cages
• Make recommendations for industry changes if needed
• Recommend additional research projects if needed
United Egg Producers
Respected Scientific Committee
McDonaldsBurger King
Food Marketing InstituteNational Council of Chain Restaurants
After working for UEP several members of the committee served on animal welfare committees for:
United Egg Producers
Science-Based Science-Based Guidelines for the Guidelines for the
Welfare of Laying HensWelfare of Laying Hens
United Egg Producers
• Charge to the committee A WELFARE PERSPECTIVE first and foremost!Economics, food safety, ethics, & public perception
• Measures of hen welfare Behavior Physiological stress Immune function Productivity & mortality
ProcessProcess
United Egg Producers
http://www.uepcertified.com/docs/2005_UEPanimal_welfare_guidelines.pdf
United Egg Producers
UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines
Housing & space allowance Beak trimming Molting Handling,
transportation, & slaughter
United Egg Producers
• Space Allowance: 67 to 86 in2 of usable space/hen
• Molting Recent change – no feed withdrawal allowed Guidelines have evolved to non-fasted molts
only• Beak Trimming• Transportation/Handling & Slaughter
Specific Recommendations
United Egg Producers
Advantages of Traditional Cages
• Improved livability• More disease free• Less bird aggression & cannibalism• Less stress with smaller group sizes• Less ammonia, dust, and microorganisms• Easier bird inspection• Cleaner eggs with less
bacterial contamination• Economics
United Egg Producers
Disadvantages of Traditional Cages
• Expression of Behavior– Nesting– Dust bathing– Perching– Scratching– Wing flapping– Walking & running– Freedom of movement
• Poorer feathering • Overgrown claws
United Egg ProducersUEP Guidelines
• Dynamic– Feed restriction to induce a molt is prohibited– Feeder space – research in progress– Cage height – research in progress– Beak trimming procedures
• Continual research is needed– Behavior – Genetic selection– Interdisciplinary or systems approach
Bird welfare balanced with human health– Housing systems
Human health & bird behavior
United Egg Producers
UEP Certified Companies Must
• Implement guidelines on 100% of all company and contract houses regardless of where or how eggs are marketed
• Not co-mingle eggs from certified and non-certified farms
• File Monthly Compliance Reports• Be audited annually by an approved 3rd party
United Egg Producers
Recognition By Others
• USDA, FDA and FTC approve use of logo
• Guidelines Supported By:– FMI (Food Marketing Institute)– NCCR (National Counsel of Chain
Restaurants)– IEC (International Egg Commission)
United Egg Producers
Industry Commitment To Animal Care
• More than 200 companies with 230 million layers are committed to the program (80% of all U.S. egg-laying hens)
United Egg Producers
Challenges and Activist Campaigns
United Egg Producers
Humane Society Of the United States Campaigns
• To force restaurants, retailers and universities to only purchase eggs from cage-free producers
• Eliminate cage production
• No animal products
• Promote veganism
United Egg Producers
The Activists Challenge
• Farm Break-Ins– Created websites with distorted
messages– Distributed videos and stories
to TV stations
• Lawsuits filed• Legislation introduced
United Egg Producers
UEP’s Position
• Support the right of consumers to choose• Members produce eggs in cage, cage-free,
organic and free-range systems• That foodservice operations, retailers and
consumers should not be forced to limit their egg purchases from only cage-free systems
• Consumers should have right to purchase lowest cost egg product if that is their choice
United Egg Producers
FOODSERVICE & CONSUMER
BENEFITS
United Egg Producers
Egg Production Trends
• Specialty Eggs:• Organic• Omega 3• Brown • Cage-free• Free range
• What makes specialty eggs different?
United Egg Producers
Retail Feature Prices(as reported by USDA)
March 24, 2006 – 17,000 Retail Stores
UEP Certified and
other cage eggs = 87 cents per dozen
Cage-Free Eggs = $2.28 per dozen
Organic Eggs = $3.44 per dozen
United Egg Producers
Egg Production
Closed housing systems
United Egg Producers
UEP Certified Benefits
• Economical source of protein • Safe, quality product• Eggs purchased come from farms following strict guidelines • Farmers are audited for compliance to guidelines• Research shows that consumers prefer eggs that are produced under animal welfare guidelines • Balanced program that includes the welfare of the hens and cost of production
United Egg Producers
UEP Supports Consumer Choice
While approximately 98% of all eggs are produced in cages, we do support consumers choice of purchasing cage-free, free-range, organic or any other specialty eggs.
Many egg producers including UEP Certified companies produce eggs in all these systems.
United Egg Producers
United Egg Producers
™
Thank You
www.uepcertified.com
UEP Hotline: 404.367.2761