In an historic vote on Thursday May 27, all members of the Austrian Parliament voted to ban battery-hen keeping and to put animal protection into the country's constitution. Facing down opposition from the Austrian Farm Federation, the Austrian parliament voted that under the new law, no new battery-hen facilities may be built after December 31, 2005. As of January 1, 2009, all conventional battery farms must close, and effective January 1, 2020, all "enriched" cages (cages stuffed with dollhouse chicken furniture and chickens) must close. Similarly, Germany plans to phase out battery-caging of hens by the end of 2006, and in a related good move for chickens in March, Hungary's parliament banned cockfighting. Switzerland effectively banned battery cages for hens in 1981 by developing standards that couldn't be met by battery cages. In the European Union, standard battery-cages must close by January 1, 2013; however the European Council (EC) will still allow enriched-cage battery operations - a move that European animal protectionists are challenging.
For more information, contact Martin Balluch at honsch@nextra.at Also visit http://www.upc-online.org//battery_hens/51704austria.htm and http://www.upc-online.org/nr/21704henspdf.htm
What Can I do?
Email the above good news to United Egg Producers, the US egg industry trade group, and ask President Albert E. Pope: What effort is the US egg industry making to replace battery cages with cage-free living conditions? Request a written response to share with your family, friends and colleagues.
Albert E. Pope, President
United Egg Producers
1720 Windward Concourse, Suite 230
Alpharetta, GA 30005
Phone: 770-360-9220.
Fax: 770-360-7058
Email: info@unitedegg.org
United Poultry Concerns, Inc.
PO Box 150
Machipongo, VA 23405-0150
757-678-7875
FAX: 757-678-5070
www.upc-online.org
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