Campaign Victory! Ben and Jerry's Adopts A Cage-Free Egg Policy

After months of discussion with the Humane Society of the United States, Ben & Jerry's declared that it will adopt an exclusively cage-free egg policy for the eggs it uses in its ice cream.

The HSUS applauded the company's decision, estimating that it would improve the welfare of tens of thousands of animals. "Ben & Jerry's is putting the chicken before the egg and making a dramatic improvement in its animal welfare policies by committing to exclusively purchase eggs from producers who do not confine hens in battery cages—one of the most inhumane practices in modern agribusiness," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS.

The Vermont-based frozen dessert company will phase in the exclusive use of cage-free eggs over a four-year period. Ben & Jerry's has also pledged that all of its cage-free eggs will only come from sources that meet the animal care standards of Humane Farm Animal Care, an independent farm animal welfare certifying organization.

Walt Freese, CEO of the company, said, "I speak for all of us at Ben & Jerry's to say how pleased we are to announce this transition to the use of exclusively cage-free eggs."

Ben and Jerry's joins other socially responsible institutions that have eliminated or are phasing out their use of battery cage eggs, including nearly 100 U.S. schools, principally major universities. Retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace have eliminated their sales of battery cage eggs, and Trader Joe's has converted all of its brand eggs to cage-free. Food service provider Bon Appétit is phasing out the use of eggs from caged hens in all of its 400 cafés. Even companies such as AOL and Google are ending the use of eggs from caged hens in their employee cafeterias.

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Battery-Cage Eggs

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'No Battery Eggs' Campaign Exposes the Hard-Boiled Truth about Laying Hens

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An HSUS Report: The Welfare of Animals in the Egg Industry