New Hampton School Launches a Cage-Free Egg Policy

WASHINGTON—Today, the nation's largest animal protection organization announced that New Hampshire-based New Hampton School (NHS) is switching to cage-free eggs in its student dining facilities, a move that The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) praised as an important step for animal welfare.

NHS has chosen to completely eliminate the use of eggs from caged birds from its dining facilities, effective April 1, 2006. The college preparatory school, which serves 325 students and 82 staff and faculty, uses approximately 120,000 eggs each year.

"I am proud that New Hampton School has implemented an organic cage-free egg policy," stated Andrew Menke, NHS headmaster. "By using cage-free eggs in our dining facilities, we are reaffirming our commitment to nurture our students' moral development and compassion."

NHS joins a growing list of schools decreasing their use of eggs from caged birds. More than 80 schools have enacted policies to eliminate or greatly reduce the use of eggs from caged hens, including University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth College, Phillips Exeter Academy, Tufts University, University of Connecticut, University of Rochester, and American University.

"New Hampton School has taken a positive step for animal welfare by ending its use of eggs from caged birds," commented Paul Shapiro, Factory Farming Campaign director for The HSUS. "We applaud NHS's efforts to reduce animal suffering, and we encourage other schools to follow its example."

Several major grocery chains have also implemented similar policies. Companies 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 has also begun phasing in exclusively cage-free eggs for all of its 190 cafés.

In the United States, approximately 95 percent of eggs sold come from hens confined in barren "battery cages," wire enclosures so small the birds can't even spread their wings or engage in many other natural behaviors, such as nesting, foraging, perching, and dust bathing. The cages are stacked one on top of another inside huge warehouses on factory farms. Each bird is afforded less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live, leading to extremely high levels of stress and frustration.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.