Following our in class conversation on the topic of McDonald’s search to find sustainable beef, I thought it would be interesting to widen the scope of this topic to other livestock. This brought my attention to the idea of the sustainable egg. Last year, California approved a regulation that required egg-laying hens to “only be confined in ways that allow them to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely” (Westervelt, 2014). Although this appears to mark success for animal rights activists, researchers have pointed out several problems related to this new regulation.
Researchers attribute the industry’s decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, despite its massive growth since the 1960s, to effective manure management and feed efficiency; something attainable through the use of caged egg production systems. (Westervelt, 2014) Other researchers identify this new regulation as an inhibitor towards food safety, arguing that through the caged egg system, farmers were not only able to sustain sanitation through the efficient removal of manure, they were also able to keep contact between eggs and manure to a minimum. (Rothman, 2015) Furthermore, specialists deny the claim that these larger cages improve the welfare of hens. They state that these hens will establish a pecking order which translates to more stress and cannibalism, as well as higher chances of bone breakage for the inhabitants of these larger cages. (Westervelt, 2014) More details regarding this topic can be found here, and here.
This significant change in the industry will affect all the farmers who reside in, and import their eggs into the state of California. However, as we have discussed in class, corporations who monitor environmental trends and seek to change their practices before regulations are approved sustain an advantage. A prime example of this in the egg farming case can be found in San Diego where they have anticipated and prepared for this regulation for as long as five years. (Jones, 2015)
Although the idea of chicken exercising their right to roam free is pleasant and exciting, one cannot help but wonder if this very idea was planted in our heads through marketing means to justify higher priced eggs. If not, are hens really better off roaming free while being endangered by predators and other hens? What about the easier transmission of pathogens through unkempt spaces? Ultimately, these questions lead us back to the conversation of, what is ‘sustainable food’?
References
Jones, J. Harry. (2015). New Rules Create ‘Chicken Disneyland’. U-T San Diego. Retrieved from http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/jan/01/chicken-eggs-hilliker-farm-ranch/?#article-copy
Rothman, Lauren. (2015). Do Bigger Chicken Cages Do More Harm Than Good. Munchies. Retrieved from http://munchies.vice.com/articles/do-bigger-chicken-cages-do-more-harm-than-good
Westervelt, Amy. (2014). Ethical Farming Dilemma: should we be helping the chicken or fixing the egg?. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/eggs-environment-farming-health-cage-free
Thanks for sharing these ideas, Sarah! I actually never considered how the caging system can positively contribute to manure management and feed efficiency, which ultimately reduce greenhouse emissions. Reading your blog entry reminded me of a site visit to Whole Foods Market (West 4th) that a few students and I had conducted for a sustainability-related project in COMM395 last semester. We were told by the store manager that Whole Foods is the only company in the world to source all of their meat/poultry from animals that are raised and processed “ethically”. They don’t believe in slaughterhouses, and claim that their animals are generally born and live their entire lives on one farm. I just looked more into their process and found that they have their own 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards. You might find it interesting: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/quality-standards/animal-welfare-standards
The topic of “sustainable food” is incredibly broad and can be interpreted in many different ways. One idea expressed by the store manager at Whole Foods that really resonated with me was that these animals should be raised and treated as if they were owned as pets. I personally like the concept, and although it might not be efficient in its own way, I feel that it plays a significant part in the food that we’re eating.