Saturday 23 February 2013

California Becomes the First Cage-Free Egg State

Governor Schwarzenegger brought some good news to the state's chickens yesterday by signing legislation requiring that all whole eggs sold in California come from hens that are able to stand up, extend their limbs, and spread their wings without touching either one another or the sides of the cage.
The legislation, A.B. 1437, comes two years after theoverwhelming passage of Proposition 2, which increased standards for treatment of animals on factory farms.
HSUS President Wayne Pacelle said, "Californians have made it clear that they don't want unsafe eggs from hens crammed into cages, and we applaud the Legislature and governor for heeding this call."
Pacelle also noted that just last week, a moratorium on new battery cage facilities was announced in Ohio—the second largest egg production state in the country—by the governor and Ohio's largest agriculture groups.
Of course, the hens will still be kept in cages, so the "cage-free" term is still a myth, but for the chickens in California, it will make a world of difference. And the law doesn't come into effect until 2015, but it's a certain sign of a positive future.

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