AMI Foundation Animal Care & Handling Conference
“Lessons Learned From California’s Proposition 2” By: Gene Gregory President – United Egg Producers UEP’s Animal Welfare Position
Support the right of consumers to choose.
UEP members produce eggs in cage, cage- free and organic systems.
That retailers and consumers should not be forced to limit their egg purchases from only cage-free systems.
Consumers should have right to purchase lowest cost egg product if that is their choice. UEP’s Animal Welfare Missions
Scientific approach to animal welfare guidelines. Guidelines based on scientific research not personal opinions or emotions. Guidelines that are driven by the industry rather than government mandates or legislation. Guidelines that create a level playing field for both egg producers and the marketplace (our customer). Activists Agenda
Animal activists, vegetarians, and vegans feel that it is their moral duty to change society from one that has always enjoyed a variety of food choices and consumers’ right to make those choices. Activists are pressing their agendas through market intimidation, legislation and lawsuits. Society will not give up hamburger, milk, and eggs easily; short term goals have been established to eliminate the housing of hens in cages, veal pens and sow gestation crates. Elimination of Animal Agriculture. Animal Activists’ Campaigns In United States Against Egg Industry
Farm Break-Ins.
Create website with disparaging pictures and comments.
Distributed videos to TV stations.
Educational programs for school children.
Blaming large confined poultry houses for the spread of the Asian Bird Flu.
Introduced State and Federal legislation.
Market intimidation against our customers.
Lawsuits. HSUS and PETA Ultimate Goals
Eliminate animal agriculture. Stop hunting and fishing. Close zoos. Stop rodeos. Stop dog racing. Shut down pet breeders. Stop government purchases of animal product commodities for school lunch and needy food programs. PETA VIDEO – “Meet Your Meat” Narrated By: Alec Baldwin
Attack upon all of animal agriculture:
Chickens Turkeys Egg-Laying Hens Cattle Dairy Cows Veal Pigs Slaughter Plants
Choose a Vegetarian Diet Wayne Pacelle Quotes President & CEO – Humane Society of the United States
“Factory Farming is a dangerous industry that needs to be rooted out.”
“We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.”
Sources: Animal People – May 1993 Taking Action For Animals Conference – Washington, D.C. – July 2007 Paul Shapiro Quote Manager of HSUS Factory Farming Campaign
“The ultimate agenda of animal rights organizations is to abolish all use of animals for any purpose.”
Source: A.P. Business Writer – Linda A Johnson, Oct. 13, 2007 California “Standards For Confining Farm Animals Initiative Statue”
Purpose: “To prohibit the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs.”
Effective January 1, 2015 Date:
Impacted Calves raised for veal (None in California) Animals: Pigs during pregnancy (Approx, 9,000 sows) Egg-laying hens (Approx. 19 million) California = Language For Egg-Laying Hens
“Fully extending limbs means fully extending all limbs without touching the side of an enclosure, including in the case of egg-laying hens, fully spreading both wings without touching the side of an enclosure or other egg-laying hens.” California Prop. 2 Results
YES ………. Approximate 63% NO ………. Approximate 37%
We won the intellectual vote and lost the emotional vote. California “Standards For Confining Farm Animals Initiative Statue”
Impact of state ballot measure, according to economic study:
Loss of more than 4,700 jobs
Loss of $615 million to the state’s economy
Major shortages in locally-produced eggs and higher egg prices for consumers. Force California Farmers Out of Business
Legislation in California will likely force most farmers out of business. They can ‘t compete with out-of- state or out-of-country eggs. Increased pressure on land use and environmental concerns. Causing consumers, retailers, foodservice companies to purchase eggs from out-of-state farms or from out-of-country where there is lower standard of animal care than in USA. Consumers probably will still be eating eggs from hens kept in cages in other states or countries…but at higher prices. California People And Hens
State with approximately 35 million people.
Approximately 20 million laying hens.
More than 95% of hens are kept in cages.
State is an egg deficit state and importing eggs.
By 2015 probably no more than 3 to 5 million hens will remain in the state. California Assembly Bill #1437 Introduced Assembly Member Huffman
Introduced on February 27, 2009 would prohibit any eggs from being sold in California unless produced under same standards as Proposition 2.
Stated Purpose: To protect human health. Egg Industry’s Campaign
Raised $8 million and hired an excellent professional political team. Spent $6.7 million on TV ads. 30 newspaper editorial boards, the Governor, and hundreds of respected coalition members opposing the proposition. Support from the California Grocers Association expressing opposition to the proposition. Things That Were Hard To Overcome
Videos of veal and sows in crates.
Videos of cage-laying hens in old dirty housing.
Consumers love with pets and inability to understand the difference of farm animals.
All the negative ads and distortion of truth launched by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Whole Foods Handling Vote YES on Proposition 2 flyers at case registers.
City folks don’t know how their food is produced. Reasons Why We Lost
The ballot language was so vague and emotional that we would all vote for it if we did not know the true meaning of the consequences. HSUS ran image lasting videos in advertising to draw upon the emotions of the voter. HSUS’s 10 million members were very active and used emails and blogs very effectively. HSUS saying that it would only cost one (1) cent per egg was hard to overcome. California is a very liberal state. Large turnout to elect President Obama. Ballot Initiative
23 states allow citizens to place issues on a ballot.
Passage of a few state initiatives makes it easier for state or federal legislation.
Speaking of the California victory, Wayne Pacelle said: “No state in the U.S. and no Agribusine overlook this mandate.”
“Social change occurs on an incremental pathway. For those who want to see more people adopt a vegetarian di for food and all – I do believe that ss titan anywhere in the nation can builds important awareness about our responsibilities to animals.”
et and not have animals slaughtered this discussion about Proposition 2 HSUS – Even More Confident
All of animal agriculture watched the California campaign and hoped for a victory. Now everyone is concerned and becoming much more active.
HSUS is now more confident than ever.
Calling upon White House to appoint an Animal Protection Liaison to help coordinate animal welfare concerns: (policy issues, regulations and positions) across many federal agencies.
An Animal Protection Division in the Justice Department.
Urging the President for legislation to phase out confinement housing. (Cages, etc.) State Legislation (2007 & 2008)
Humane Society of United States (HSUS) pushes legislation that as such would ban cage production in the following states:
Colorado Connecticut New Hampshire All Were Vermont Defeated Arizona Delaware
Connecticut and New Hampshire also had proposed legislation which would prohibit state from purchasing eggs from farmers keeping hens in cages. State Legislation (2009)
Legislative language similar to California – introduced in Illinois and Connecticut. States currently with legislation introduced or, on target list:
Maine
Ohio
Nebraska
Washington Advantages and Disadvantages of Cage-Free Housing
Advantages Disadvantages
More freedom of Higher mortality movement Increased cannibalism Risk of smothering
More difficult to inspect and catch birds
Increased risk of parasites
Source: UEP Scientific Advisory Committee Impact Upon Total U.S. Industry Consequences of Cage Ban
Would need 15 million more hens to produce same number of eggs. Poorer feed conversion would require more than an additional 700,00 acres of corn and soybeans to produce the same number of eggs. Many egg farmers will simply go out of business. Cheaper eggs would come from other countries. Current assets of building and equipment would have no value. Cost egg farmers approximately $6 billion to convert to cage-free housing. U.S. Retail Egg Prices - 2008
Cage $1.36
Cage-Free $2.79
Organic $3.71 What Is UEP and U.S. Egg Industry Doing Now?
Telling the story that we cannot produce an abundance of affordable, safe food in cage-free or organic systems. Telling that the HSUS agenda will increase prices and increase hunger at a time of a poor economy. Building coalition partners in and out of agriculture. Creating partnerships with State Egg Association Executive Directors. Working with the American Veterinarian Association. Working with credible animal welfare people and organizations. Exploring other options to a ban on cages. One that may provide for more natural behaviors. Working with states to codify welfare guidelines. Bottom Line Concerns
Can we feed a nation of 300+ million people with eggs produced exclusively in non-cage systems? - NO.
Can we provide equal assurance against the spread of Asian Bird Flu when birds are no kept indoors? - NO.
Can we provide an equal food safety systems when birds are not kept in modern cage housing facilities? - NO.
Will consumers purchase as many eggs when prices are 200% to 300% higher? - NO.
Will grocers and foodservice operators be forced to stop the sale of foods produced from animals? - MAYBE.
Will legislation eliminate most of U.S. egg industry? - MAYBE. Websites: www.uepcertified.com www.usaeggfarming.org Thank You!
Gene Gregory President/CEO United Egg Producers 1720 Windward Concourse, Suite 230 Alpharetta, GA 30005 [email protected]