The Campaign for Cage Free Eggs
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(Photo by Getty Images)
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Right now, most eggs are still produced on factory farms that use tiny battery cages. The hens can't get up, stretch their wings, or nest. These cruel conditions aren't necessary, and the HSUS is working very hard to eliminate them. One way is to get the farms to change, like through the legislation in California. Another way is to change the market, creating a demand for cage-free over those laid by hens in battery cages.
Just last week, after a long campaign by the HSUS, Wendy's committed to sourcing at least 2% of their eggs from cage-free suppliers. Calling it "a modest but meaningful step in the right direction," HSUS also took the opportunity to call out McDonald's.
Even though competitors like Burger King, Hardee's, Quizno's, Carl's Jr. and Denny's have all pledged to make cage-free eggs up to 5% of their U.S. egg purchases, and even though McDonald's European organization has a cage-free policy, in the U.S. McDonald's is dragging its feet on making the switch.
The french fry giant has a two year study planned to look at the bigger picture of sustainable egg production. HSUS is calling shenanigans on this study, saying that it will simply delay McDonald's from making the right decision. The HSUS hopes that McDonald's shareholders will vote on a resolution next week at the annual meeting, to mandate a phased-in cage-free egg policy.
It sounds like McDonald's has every reason to bow to the inevitable and just commit to the cage-free thing. Plus they can still do their sustainability study, which sounds really useful and smart. We can't stop people from eating hangover food like Egg McMuffins, but we can at least ask them to make it as responsible as possible!
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