Animal rights group attacks HSUS

Humane Farming Association forms ballot committee to defeat egg industry, HSUS, initiative.

Ali Taylor, Freeimages.com
Ali Taylor, Freeimages.com

The Humane Farming Association (HFA) is forming a campaign committee to oppose a controversial ballot initiative that would repeal and replace California's current hen housing law.

National Egg Farmers were quick to point out April 23 that their group of egg farmers are not joining forces with Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) or any other animal activist group. 

Background

Voters in California approved a ballot measure known as Proposition 2, which requires that all eggs produced in the state be laid by hens that have adequate room to stand up, sit down, turn around and extend their limbs without touching another bird or the sides of the cage. Similar requirements were established for pigs and calves used in pork and veal production.

Now, HSUS is promoting measure that would replace the hen housing provisions of Prop 2 with the guidelines of the United Egg Producers.

HFA stance

"The Humane Society of the United States is once again deceiving voters, flip-flopping on the issue of cages, and perpetuating the suffering of millions of egg-laying hens throughout California," said HFA National Director Bradley Miller.

"The inescapable reality is that, had Prop 2 actually accomplished what HSUS promised, California would be cage free at this very moment," noted Miller. "Rather than correcting its historic failure, HSUS is now misusing our state's ballot measure process with a whole new set of false promises."

More than 125,000 people have already signed an online petition opposing the initiative. And HFA's eye-opening animated short, "California's Caged Chickens Say No," has already garnered over 12 million views on YouTube and social media.

If successful at the ballot, this measure would prohibit the confinement of egg-laying hens, pigs used for breeding, and calves raised for veal. Eggs, pork, and veal produced elsewhere but sold in the state of California would also be required to meet the same standards

“HFA's immediate goal is to expose and defeat the HSUS / UEP initiative (along with AB 3021).  After that we can pursue a meaningful and enforceable animal protection measure for the 2020 ballot,” said Kim Nishimoto with HFA.

Current standings

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), in late April, has gathered more than 600,000 signatures in California for the “Prevent Cruelty California” measure, nearly double the 365,000 signatures needed to introduce a ballot measure.

HFA's campaign committee, Californians Against Cruelty, Cages, and Fraud, is being registered with state election officials and will lead the fight against the egg industry initiative that is expected to qualify for the November 2018 ballot.

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