Thursday, May. 01, 2008

Egg producers can afford this

Voting "yes" on November's Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act will help animals without harming consumers ("Farm animals, people would suffer," April 24, Letters). According to the egg industry's own economist, complying with the initiative — which seeks only to eliminate the most cruel and inhumane confinement practices in California — would cost producers less than one additional penny per egg. This pales in comparison to massive profits currently being reaped by producers that cram hens into cages so small that each has less than a letter-sized sheet of paper on which to spend her entire life.

Noticed how high egg prices are? The egg industry is experiencing the highest profits in history; the largest egg producer increased profits by more than 80 percent, even after accounting for higher feed and energy costs. If they can afford to line their pockets, they can afford to give animals raised for food the ability to turn around and extend their limbs. Voting "yes" on the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act will help protect animals from the suffering caused by extreme confinement.

DALE YARNAL
Modesto