OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washingtonians for Humane Farms responded to the signing of SB 5487, an agribusiness-supported bill that does little more than provide the illusion of animal welfare reform for the state’s egg industry.
Gov. Christine Gregoire signed the bill, which allows the egg industry to mostly continue cramming egg-laying hens into cruel and inhumane cages until the distant date of 2026. Even then, the bill would still leave these birds in cages indefinitely, but simply in slightly less-cramped cages.
“This legislation keeps birds in small cages, stacked one on top of another, and these very minor space increases don’t even take effect until 2026,” stated Jennifer Hillman, western regional director for The Humane Society of the United States. “This legislation offers only the appearance of reform, and not the reality.”
Washingtonians for Humane Farms is collecting signatures to place I-1130 on November’s ballot, a measure that would phase out the use of cage confinement in egg production by 2018, ensuring that laying hens can spread their wings and engage in other important behaviors. The initiative still gives egg producers several years to transition to cage-free housing, but does so on a more reasonable timeframe. The measure is supported by every major animal shelter and animal protection group in Washington, dozens of the state’s family farms, farming organizations, and the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), The Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary, Center for Food Safety, and more.
“It’s important that Washington voters know that SB 5487 is a veiled attempt by industry to codify cruel and inhumane standards for egg-laying hens,” says Gene Baur, President and Co-founder of Farm Sanctuary. “Packing living, breathing birds into tiny cages where they will spend their entire lives literally living on top of one another serves no purpose other than to maximize producer profits at the expense of food safety, the environment, and animal welfare.”
“The extreme confinement of egg-laying hens is one of the worst factory farm abuses,” said Jill Buckley, Esq., senior director of ASPCA Government Relations & Mediation. “These birds lead short, painful lives and often produce eggs that threaten food safety. SB 5487 excuses Washington farmers from making even the slightest of improvements until 2026 and confines egg-laying hens in cages indefinitely.”
