In 1998, United Poultry Concerns:

• Petitioned the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ban the forced molting (intentional starvation) of hens used for egg production because it is cruel and it causes disease, in particular Salmonella Enteritidis. The petition is now pending and we await a decision.

• Placed full-page display ads in DVM News Magazine (Sept 1998) and the ASPCA Animal Watch (Winter 1998) to educate veterinarians and the public about forced molting and to urge people to oppose the practice. These ads generated thousands of letters to the American Veterinary Medical Association, FDA, USDA, and United Egg Producers.

• Launched a sign-on petition resulting in 10,000 signatures urging the U.S. egg industry to eliminate forced molting.

• Surveyed egg companies throughout the United States regarding their use of forced molting and succeeded in obtaining signed statements from 15 egg company managers acknowledging that they starve their hens to manipulate egg production.

• Held a successful education table and leafleted thousands of people at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on April 13, bringing animal activism to this event for the first time.

• Held a successful Easter Eggless Extravaganza open to the public at our sanctuary in Potomac, Maryland on April 11th along with our 9th annual all-vegetarian Thanksgiving party at our new location in Machipongo, Virginia on Nov 21st.

• Conducted our 7th annual protest demonstration at the Delmarva Chicken Festival (Millsboro, Delaware), June 12-13; and our 8th Annual Spring Mourning Vigil for Chickens in Ocean City, Maryland, August 15.

• Purchased an 8.26-acre property for our permanent headquarters and chicken sanctuary in Machipongo, Virginia where we established residence on September 19th.

• Published our third, revised edition of Replacing School Hatching Projects: Alternative Resources & How to Order Them. Distributed 2,500 copies to teacher around the country.

• Presented workshops and held exhibit tables at the Maryland Association of Science Teachers 1998 Fall Conference in Frederick, MD Oct 23-24; and the National Science Teachers Association Convention in Albuquerque, NM Dec 3-5.

• Translated our brochure on Live Poultry Markets into Spanish and Chinese enabling us to reach thousands of Hispanic and Chinese-speaking Americans at successful demonstrations in Boston, New York City, and San Francisco.

• Found a permanent, loving home for Lily, the former "ticktacktoe" chicken rescued from the Mott Street Arcade in March.

• Launched a campaign to stop the "Annual Poultry Slam," a radio show aired nationally in December. On November 22nd, the producer, Ira Glass, visited UPC's sanctuary for chickens in response to our invitation to him to meet our birds.

• Persuaded Frying Pan Park, a tourist farm in Fairfax County, VA to improve its poultry area and to stop debeaking the birds. Frying Pan Park is where the Thanksgiving turkey, "pardoned" each year by the U.S. president, goes to live out the rest of his life. UPC removed two sickly, lice-infested chickens from the park and placed them permanently in our sanctuary.

• Launched our investigation of the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago and confirmed that the museum's hatchery exhibit chicks are fed to the reptiles at the Lincoln Park Zoo. UPC president Karen Davis published a letter, "Zoo sore spot," in the Chicago Tribune on May 4th.

• UPC president Karen Davis gave talks at the North American Vegetarian Society Summerfest, University of Michigan, Alliance for Animals in Virginia Conference, University of Central Florida, Rhode Island Animal Rights Coalition, and the Summit for the Animals. UPC received news coverage in the Potomac Gazette, Eastern Shore News, The Scientist, Egg Industry, and other media.

• In 1998, United Poultry Concerns was listed in the 17th edition of The Yearbook of Experts: Authorities & Spokespersons; and the National Press Club of Washington Directory.

• United Poultry Concerns maintains a permanent chicken and duck sanctuary and education center at our headquarters at 12325 Seaside Road, Machipongo, Virginia 23405. In 1998, we adopted birds from animal shelters in Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware, and from poultry industry sources and school hatching programs in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. United Poultry Concerns provides a full-time adoption, placement, and referral service, locally and nationally, for domestic fowl.

• UPC's website administration office, headed by Franklin Wade, is located in Bethesda, Maryland. UPC's website address is www.upc-online.org.

From all of us at United Poultry Concerns, thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Karen Davis

President