United Egg Producers is a world leader in the creation of science-based animal welfare guidelines for U.S. egg farmers and the UEP Certified program

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3 United Egg Producers is a world leader in the creation of science-based animal welfare guidelines for U.S. egg farmers and the UEP Certified program continues to be recognized as a global leader for animal welfare standards in agriculture. UEP Certified was developed as an animal welfare program to improve the well-being of egg-laying hens and to meet the expectations of our customers. Launched nationwide in 2002, the UEP Certified program and the resulting seal featured on egg cartons is your assurance that those eggs originate from farms dedicated to following responsible, science-based farming methods designed to ensure hen welfare. UEP Certified is the only science-based animal welfare program for cage and cage-free egg production with standards endorsed by the Food Marketing Institute and the National Council of Chain Restaurants. Simply put, with independent, third-party inspections carried out by either USDA or Validus, the UEP Certified logo is your and your customer s assurance that all aspects of animal welfare meet the stringent requirements set by the nation s leading animal welfare researchers and veterinarians. Unlike programs touted by some animal activist groups, the UEP Certified program includes many critically important animal welfare guidelines besides simply space per hen. 2

4 Science- Based Program More than 10 years ago, UEP convened an independent and unpaid scientific advisory committee to evaluate egg-laying hen welfare standards, review existing research, conduct new research and recommend industry changes. The advisory committee submitted its recommendations for animal welfare standards to UEP. These recommendations, which were accepted in their entirety by UEP s board of directors, became the UEP Certified program. The UEP Certified guidelines provide for the well-being of egg-laying hens and require participating farmers to provide: n Code of conduct for proper animal handling signed by trained employees n Annual compliance audit conducted by independent third-party inspectors n Scientifically supported space for hens n Nutritious hormone-free feed, clean water and fresh air at all times and prohibits the use of feed withdrawal molt programs n Strict biosecurity measures to protect food safety and hen health n Space for nests and perches in cage-free houses n Plus many other requirements. The complete guidelines can be found at Today, more than 80 percent of the eggs produced in the U.S. are done so by egg farmers adhering to these strict guidelines. Only farmers meeting guidelines on 100 percent of their hens can use the UEP Certified seal on their packaging. 3

5 Scientific Advisory Committee Members Patricia Hester, PhD Chair, Scientifi c Advisory Committee Professor, Animal Sciences, Purdue University Jeffrey Armstrong, PhD President, California Polytech State University Joy Mench, PhD Director, Center for Animal Welfare, University of California-Davis Paul Thompson, PhD Chair, W.K. Kellogg, Agricultural, Food & Community Ethics, Michigan State University Ruth Newberry, PhD Associate Professor, Center for the Study of Animal Well-being, Washington State University Bill Chase, PhD Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Gail Golab, PhD, DVM Director, Animal Welfare Division, American Veterinary Medical Association Janice Swanson, PhD Director, Animal Welfare, Michigan State University 4

6 Cage Advantages The advantage of having an egg produced in a cage system is that the egg gets away from the manure, the bedding and the live animal (it rolls out of the cage after being laid) more rapidly. The sooner you can isolate that egg so it can be cleaned, sanitized and checked for any deformities, the better and safer that egg is going to be. Dr. Craig Reed, former Deputy Administrator of the Food Safety Inspection Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Based on a summary of scientific literature from around the world, for someone to say there is a higher prevalence of salmonella in cage systems they are in absolute disagreement with leading scientific experts. Dr. Jeff Armstrong, president of California Polytech and professor of animal science 5

7 Led by research and continual innovation, cage housing has been the preferred method for egg production since the 1960s both for its improvements to hen welfare and egg food safety. As recently as 2002, the egg industry improved upon the conventional cage systems by developing the UEP Certified program following the recommendations of an independent scientific advisory committee. The UEP Certified program ensures the modern cage housing systems used by our farmers provides increased space per hen, improves air quality, and more effectively seperates the hen and eggs from waste, thereby improving egg safety. Modern cage housing effectively separates the flocks into smaller, more easily managed groups typically 6 to 8 birds in a large cage, which provides for better individual inspection of hens and aids in maintaining a healthy flock. Additionally, studies have shown that caged housing systems reduce stress on the hens, which positively impacts hens immune system function. When managed properly, all three systems (caged, cage free, organic/free range) provide safe, quality eggs. However, past studies have demonstrated a reduction of disease with the removal of feces from the hen s environment, and modern cage housing is the most effective at separating waste from the hen and egg. 6

8 Sustainable Production for an Increasing Population Additional resources required to produce the eggs America needs in a cage-free as opposed to the more efficient cage system with UEP standards. 3 billion more pounds of corn and soybean 580,000 more acres of cropland 400,000 additional acres for housing Using cages with UEP standards To Produce 76 Billion Eggs (Source: Promar International) As demands placed on agriculture to meet the world s growing population become ever greater, sustainability is much more than a buzzword. Concerns over efficient uses of water, arable cropland and a reduction in fuel usage are best addressed through more efficient systems of production. Quite simply, we all must do far more with considerably less. Every year, U.S. egg farmers supply American consumers with 76 billion eggs. The challenge of delivering a high-quality, safe and nutritious product to 300 million U.S. consumers is one farmers take very seriously and one they meet while being sustainable. Feeding a projected world population of 9 billion people is a mission that can only be accomplished with modern, efficient production practices. Hens producing eggs in the modern cage systems under the UEP Certified program use 15 to 25 percent less feed per egg than hens in cage-free or free range systems. These UEP Certified farms also have smaller carbon footprints due to less feed, more efficient use of natural resources and less land usage. 7

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10 96% Caged Relative percentages of egg purchases by type. Cage-free (Source: United States Department of Agriculture) Free Range Organic 2% 2% Retail Trends and Consumer Preference U.S. egg farmers believe in the right of consumer choice and we are committed to producing high-quality, safe and nutritious eggs that meet consumers preferences. The fact remains, however, that American consumers choose to buy eggs produced in modern cage housing systems by a margin of 40-to-1. According to supermarket scanner tracking data*, these regular eggs account for 92 percent of the 21 billion eggs bought at retail and USDA estimates cage production represents 96.3 percent of the nation s total production (including eggs sold in food service). Of the many reasons accounting for this preference, cost cannot be overlooked but neither can issues of food safety, sustainability and animal welfare. Despite misleading information presented by animal activist groups, consumers overwhelmingly purchase eggs from modern cage housing systems. As producers committed to the welfare of our hens, the safety of our product and concerned about our planet s resources, this is good news. Purchasing UEP Certified eggs is your assurance, and in turn, your customer s assurance that the eggs purchased are from farmers committed to adhering to the only science-based animal welfare program designed for optimal treatment of hens in both cage and cage-free production and endorsed by the Food Marketing Institute and the National Council of Chain Restaurants. 9

11 Cost comparisons of retail egg purchases. (Price per dozen) Caged (Large, White, Dozen) Free-Range (Large, Brown, Dozen) Cage-Free (Large, Brown, Dozen) $3.82 $2.58 $.98 (Source: USDA AMS Weekly Retail Shell Egg and Egg Products Feature for the period of 2/25/11 through 3/04/11) 10

12 I m UEP certified... which means all of our hens are treated right. Ben T. Egg Farmer UEP Certified is the only science-based animal welfare program for cage egg production with standards endorsed by the Food Marketing Institute and the National Council of Chain Restaurants. These guidelines were developed by an independent advisory council of leading animal science experts from several universities and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Among other things, the guidelines require me to provide: Code of Conduct for proper animal handling signed by employees Annual compliance audit conducted by independent third-party inspectors More space per hen than previous standards Nutritious hormone-free feed, clean water and fresh air at all times Strict biosecurity measures And don t forget to Compliance with the standards on 100% of my hens To learn more about certification, go to check for the check! United Egg Producers, 1720 Windward Concourse, Suite 230, Alpharetta, GA