Gardenburger and other companies switching to eggs from cage-free hens

Here's a press release I got from the Humane Society:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Erin Williams, HSUS, (301) 721-6446, ewilliams@hsus.org

Gardenburger Takes Egg-Citing Steps

The Humane Society of the United States applauds
Gardenburger's new policy

WASHINGTON (May 17, 2006)-Gardenburger, the veggie burger pioneer responsible for helping change the way countless Americans eat, has taken another leadership role in the food industry by embracing a growing trend: the movement away from eggs laid by hens confined in battery cages. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced today that Utah-based Gardenburger has eliminated the use of eggs in all of its products, except for one privately-sourced veggie patty, whose eggs it is now purchasing from a cage-free, organic egg provider. The company produces a variety of meatless products, including burgers, cutlets, riblets, meatballs, chicken patties, sausages, and prepared wraps.

"As a leader in natural foods, Gardenburger is delighted to be a leader in the trend away from battery cage eggs ," stated Scott C. Wallace, president and CEO of Gardenburger. "Gardenburger is committed to respectful treatment of animals, and this move is a reflection of that concern."

"Gardenburger has already done much to reduce the suffering of farm animals in our country, and this latest move further demonstrates its commitment to animal welfare," commented Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "The HSUS encourages Gardenburger's competitors in the meatless foods market, such as Morningstar Farms, to do the same."

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 nest, forage, perch, walk, or even spread their wings. 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.

Gardenburger joins a growing bandwagon of institutions and corporations distancing themselves from battery-cage egg production. Several grocery chains such as Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Jimbo's Naturally, and Earth Fare have eliminated their sales of battery-cage eggs. Trader Joe's converted all of its brand eggs to cage-free. Food service provider Bon Appétit is also phasing in cage-free eggs for all of its 400 cafés, including those serving corporate clients Yahoo!, Cisco Systems, Adidas, Best Buy, and Nordstrom. And AOL and Google have ended their use of eggs from caged hens in their employee dining facilities.

Nearly 90 schools have also enacted policies to eliminate or greatly decrease their use of eggs from caged hens, including Dartmouth College, University of New Hampshire, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tufts University, and Georgetown University.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with 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, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.

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