Pacific School of Religion Cracks Open a Cage-Free Egg Policy

Pacific School of Religion (PSR) has joined a growing movement against one of factory farming's worst abuses. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) applauded the Berkeley, Calif.-based institution today for enacting an exclusively cage-free egg policy in its dining facilities.

PSR is the oldest interdenominational seminary west of the Mississippi, founded in 1866. John E. Davis, CFO and treasurer of PSR, and Chef Andy Maxon spearheaded the policy, which became effective August 15. PSR uses approximately 24,000 eggs each year. PSR operates the dining program for the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), and both schools are members of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU).

"People of faith have a moral duty to protect God's creation, including animals used for food. Simply by moving away from using eggs from caged hens, religious organizations can help improve the lives of animals," said Davis.   

"The Humane Society of the United States applauds PSR for ending its use of eggs from battery-caged birds," commented Christine Gutleben, GTU graduate and director of The HSUS' Animals and Religion program. "This positive step will help reduce animal suffering, and we encourage other theological schools and religiously-affiliated organizations to follow its example."

PSR joins Berkeley institutions such as UC Berkeley, Andronico's, and even the Berkeley City Council in taking a stand against the intensive confinement of egg-laying hens in battery 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.
• 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.
• There is a snowballing national movement against battery cages. Wolfgang Puck is ending his use of cage eggs. Burger King is beginning to use cage-free eggs. Several grocery chains, including Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, have stopped selling cage eggs. Companies such as AOL and Google have ended the use of cage eggs in their employee cafeterias. And local municipalities in California, Maryland and Florida have condemned battery cage confinement.
• More than 150 schools across the country have enacted policies to eliminate or greatly reduce their use of eggs from caged hens.

Timeline

• April 2007—Food service provider Chartwells announces that it is phasing in the exclusive use of cage-free shell eggs for 45 of the schools it serves.
• April 2007—Berkeley, Calif., becomes the fourth city to unanimous pass a bill condemning battery cages and encouraging egg consumers not to purchase eggs from caged hens.
• 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.
• 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—California-based Google implements an exclusively cage-free egg policy for its employee dining facilities.
• October 2005—California-based Bon Appétit Management Company announces that it is phasing out the use of eggs from caged hens in all of its 400 cafés.
• 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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