Quimby's Hatches a Cage-Free Egg Policy

Newport, Ore.-based restaurant Quimby's no longer serves eggs from caged hens, joining a national movement away from a notorious factory farming abuse. Quimby's adopted its new cage-free egg policy after working with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

"The Humane Society of the United States commends Quimby's leadership in helping prevent one of the worst factory farm abuses," said Paul Shapiro, senior director of The HSUS's factory farming campaign. "Quimby's is setting a positive example for other restaurants to follow."

"We're proud of our switch to cage-free eggs," stated Mike Downing, Quimby's owner. "Our guests care about animal welfare, and our cage-free egg policy helps to better address this concern."

The new policy was effective March 21, 2008.

U.S. factory farms confine about 280 million hens in barren battery cages that are so small, they can't even spread their wings. Each bird has less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live.

Facts

• There is a snowballing national movement against battery cage confinement of egg-laying hens. In Oregon, companies such as Burgerville, JoPa, and Cup and Saucer Café no longer use eggs from caged hens. And Oregon schools such as Lewis & Clark College, Reed College, and Willamette University join nearly 350 others in using cage-free eggs.
• While cage-free doesn't mean cruelty-free, 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. Cage-free hens may not be able to go outside, but 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

• February 2008—Safeway announces a far-reaching animal welfare program, including a purchasing preference for cage-free eggs.
• December 2007—Compass Group, the world's largest food service provider with over 7,500 U.S. clients, begins phasing out cage eggs.
• March 2007—Burger King announces that it has started phasing in cage-free eggs in its North American locations.
• March 2007—Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck announces that he will no longer use cage eggs in his restaurants.
• September 2006—Ben & Jerry's announces that it will phase out cage eggs in its ice creams.
• May 2005—Whole Foods Market announce that they have ended sales of cage eggs.
• 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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