New Frontiers Natural Marketplace Hatches a Cage-Free Egg Policy

 The Humane Society of the United States Applauds Natural Foods Chain for Ending Use of Eggs from Caged Hens in Groceries and Bakeries

The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, praised California-based New Frontiers Natural Marketplace for implementing a policy against the sale of eggs from caged hens.

New Frontiers Natural Marketplace has five locations: Solvang and San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Prescott, Flagstaff, and Sedona, Ariz.

"We're pleased to have been able to make this change and feel great about having moved to exclusively cage-free eggs for our shelves, delis and bakeries," stated Ron Colone, marketing director for New Frontiers Natural Marketplace.

"The HSUS commends New Frontiers Natural Marketplace for its policy against selling eggs from caged hens," commented Paul Shapiro, senior director of the Factory Farming Campaign for The HSUS. "By removing eggs from caged birds from its stores and bakeries, the chain is helping to encourage the egg industry to end its confinement of laying hens in battery cages."

Numerous California companies, schools, and even local governments have joined a snowballing national movement against the cruel confinement of egg-laying hens inside tiny cages.

Facts

• U.S. factory farms confine nearly 300 million hens in barren battery cages that are so small, the birds can't even spread their wings. Each bird has less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live. The European Union has banned barren battery cages, effective 2012.
• Grocery chains such as Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, as well as Calif.-based Andronico's, New Leaf Community Markets and Jimbo's … Naturally, have also stopped selling cage eggs. Wolfgang Puck is ending the use of cage eggs. Burger King is moving away from cage eggs. Calif.-based food service company Bon Appétit is phasing out the use of cage eggs in all of its 400 cafés. Companies such as AOL and Google have ended the use of cage eggs in their employee cafeterias. And local municipalities in Maryland, California and Florida have publicly condemned battery cages.
• Cage-free hens generally have 250-300 percent more space per bird and are able to engage in more of their natural behaviors than are caged hens. While cage free hens may not be able to go outside, they are able to walk, spread their wings, and lay their eggs in nests—all behaviors permanently denied to hens confined in battery cages.

Timeline

• April 2007—Santa Cruz-based New Leaf Community Markets implements a cage-free egg policy.
• March 2007—Burger King announces that it has started phasing in the use of cage-free eggs.
• March 2007—Wolfgang Puck announces the implementation of a wide-ranging program to improve animal welfare in his supply chain, including not using battery cage eggs.
• March 2007—Congressmembers Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) introduce the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act, which requires animal producers supplying federal programs with meat, dairy, and eggs to comply with a moderate set of animal welfare standards.
• September 2006—Ben & Jerry's announces that it will phase out the use of eggs from caged hens in all its ice creams.
• May 2006—Calif.-based Google implements an exclusively cage-free egg policy for its employee dining facilities.
• May 2005—Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace announce that they have ended sales of eggs from caged hens.
• November 2003—The Better Business Bureau rules that it is misleading to label eggs from battery-caged hens as "Animal Care Certified."

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization—backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty—on the web at www.humanesociety.org.