February 16, 2004

The egg industry is under fire because of a controversial seal of approval that may be on the egg carton in your refrigerator.

Investigative reporter Terri Parker reported that several groups claim the seal is nothing but consumer fraud.

Parker discovered that most eggs you buy have an “Animal Care Certified” seal on them.

That seal probably makes you think you’re buying eggs that come from chickens that are humanely cared for.

But Eyewitness News obtained disturbing undercover video of an egg-producing chicken farm in Maryland that animal rights groups say prove otherwise.

The chickens (on the video) produce eggs that end up in cartons with a seal that says “Animal Care Certified.”

Eggs: wholesome, healthy and high-protein. And now, egg producers have enhanced their cartons with this logo to make you feel even better about buying them.

“Does it make you think they take better care of their chickens than you expected because it has got this seal of approval—it looks like?” Parker asked.

“I’m hoping so. I’m hoping they're not just sitting in their little box. I’m hoping they get to walk outside and eat some grass and stuff like that,” one consumer named Sonia said.

But walking outside and eating grass is far from the reality of how many egg-laying chickens live.

Eyewitness News obtained exclusive undercover video of an egg farm in Maryland—an egg farm that labels its eggs as Animal Care Certified.

But do you consider this Animal Care Certified: Hens packed in cages so tightly they can’t move, most of their feathers gone because of the overcrowding, and their beaks seared off so they won’t peck at each other?

Another alleged industry practice involves reportedly starving the birds for weeks so they’ll lay more eggs.

“This isn’t only animal cruelty, it’s also a case of consumer fraud,” said Paul Shapiro, who heads the animal rights group Compassion Over Killing.

He sent volunteers into the egg farm to document the hens’ treatment.

They found hens with their heads stuck between the bars, unable to reach food or water.

One hen allegedly had fallen underneath the cages, left to die a slow and painful death.

In fact, the video shows dead chickens littered the cages in various stages of decomposition.

The animal rights people rescued one stuck bird who weakly sipped water they offered it.

“The egg industry should not be labeling eggs from these horrific conditions as ‘animal care certified,’” Shapiro said.

So, how can they?

The egg industry started using the animal care logo two years ago after animal welfare groups criticized their practices.

Parker asked Ken Klippen, the vice president of the United Egg Producers, about the logo.

“Do you think the animal care logo is misleading to consumers?” Parker asked.

“We care about our chickens,” Klippen said. “Each egg producer cares about how his chickens are raised and that’s what our logo demonstrates.”

“But what about the video of the chickens dead in their cages? That doesn’t seem to demonstrate an egg farmer who cares about how his chickens are treated,” Parker said.

“That is not a typical condition in a typical egg facility. Farmers go through their henhouses daily to see the conditions of the birds,” Klippen said.

Klippen said a panel of independent scientists came up with the care guidelines.

But animal-rights experts said those guidelines aren’t making the birds lives any better.

For example, right now, the chickens are allotted about half the size of a piece of paper, and under the new regulations, they’ll get a few more inches—but still not the size of a piece of typing paper, and certainly not enough room to flap their wings. The animal care guidelines will phase in more room—19 more square inches—but still about a quarter of what experts say (the hens) need to simply flap their wings.

Animal welfare groups aren’t the only ones questioning the Animal Care Certified logo.

In November, the Better Business Bureau called the logo misleading, and when Parker asked shoppers, that’s exactly what some thought.

“I don’t know how they can put this on here,” said shopper Amy Critton. “What is care, then?”

Critton said she won’t buy eggs that come from caged chickens, and shells out extra money to buy cage-free or free-roaming eggs.

Regular large eggs cost about $1.59. Cage-free eggs, $2.69, and the ultimate egg, cage-free, free-roaming, organic are almost double at $3.49.

So, besides better chicken feed, what are you getting for your extra $2?

“Cage-free birds are sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in a windowless warehouse living in their own manure,” Shapiro said.

“They’re not being honest, obviously, not being honest with us,” Critton said.

“Free-range chickens do go outside,” Klippen said. “But, keep in mind, when outside, they’re exposed to elements, to parasites, to predators. So, you have to ask yourself, ‘What is more humane?’”

Animal welfare advocates said it would be more humane if the hens had enough room to flap their wings, and were not starved or mutilated—practices that are already outlawed in Europe.

“The fact of the matter is, these hens are still abused, and the egg industry shouldn’t be labeling ‘Animal Care Certified’ on their cartons when hens are living in conditions so abusive that if they were forced on dogs or cats, it would be illegal,” Shapiro said.

There is no state or federal law regulating the treatment of egg-laying chickens.

Animal advocates said if you think chickens should be treated better, contact your legislators and tell them to outlaw those cages as lawmakers already have done in Europe.

Meanwhile, the United Egg Producers are appealing the Better Business Bureau’s ruling that their “Animal Care Certified” seal is misleading.

If you’re shocked at the chickens’ treatment, does it help to buy the cage-free eggs?

Certainly it does, because even though those chickens are in a warehouse, and not really outside, at least they’re not getting caught and smashed in those tiny wire cages.

Animal advocates said if enough people refuse to buy eggs from cages, they eventually would be eliminated.