Cracks in egg deal?

This article was originally published in April 2012

A deal between the commercial egg industry and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is facing resistance in Congress. The chair of the House Agriculture Committee says he won’t allow a hearing for a bill that would double the living space required for egg-laying hens.

The United Egg Producers (UEP) and HSUS agreed last summer to work together on a bill that would address the confinement of laying hens coast to coast. In exchange for UEP’s pledge to address chicken welfare nationally, HSUS dropped a Washington state ballot initiative that would have required all laying hens in Washington be cage-free.

Many PCC shoppers helped gather signatures for the state initiative, and PCC supports the federal measure. Please ask your U.S. Representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 3798, the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012.

Also in this issue

Bread alone

"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" wondered the famous chef Julia Child. We couldn't agree more and, judging from our bread aisle, we've got nothing to worry about in our little corner of the country. Read about PCC staff favorites — all organic — from hearty whole-grain to classic sourdough.

News bites, April 2012

Edible forest, Chick hatcheries booming, Imported shrimp, and more

Honeybee disaster

A Purdue University study indicates pesticides are one cause of Colony Collapse Disorder among honeybees. Some say the study suggests pesticides called neonicotinoids may even be the major or precipitating cause — with mites and other problems the final blow.