No More Culling by United Egg Producers - National Humane Education Society
UPDATE (3/10/2020): Unfortunately, this projected date cannot come to fruition because they have not found a viable solution.
Paws Up!
To the United Egg Producers for choosing to cease the practice of “culling” by 2020.
Eggs are a common staple in many homes throughout the United States. The average American may not realize the harsh reality of hens’ lives as they exist in factory farms. Many hens start laying
eggs at twenty weeks of age. They are constantly kept producing eggs until their bodies give out and they are of no more use. If you are a female chick, your life at an egg-laying factory farm will be a tight living space, no sunshine, constant stress, and unnatural laying conditions. If you are a male chick, your life will cease to exist by the gruesome act of “culling” where you will be ground up while still alive.
According to a recent news article by Fox News, male chicks at the United Egg Producers, a company that supplies 95% of the U.S. eggs, will no longer be in danger of “culling” by the year 2020. The President and CEO of United Egg Producers decision to stop male chick culling is due to animal welfare advocates and technology. In the future, United Egg Producers hopes for the invention of in-oxo sexing technology, where male and female chicks will be distinguished while still in the egg. When this advanced technology comes to fruition, it would cease the senseless killing of live male chicks.
Learn more about factory farmed poultry here or download a free Factory Farm-Food brochure here.
Take Action: Contact the United Egg Producers and thank them for choosing to ban the practice of chicken culling.
Where can culling-free eggs be purchased now? What brands, labels do we look for? We’re in Seattle area.
Emily,
Thanks for your comment. United Egg Producers is still planning to go cull-free in 2020, and some German brands have already begun selling cull-free eggs. At this time, unless it is specified on the label, all eggs produced by factory farms (most eggs in grocery stores) are not cull-free. Once United Egg Producers becomes cull-free, you can find eggs with the “United Egg Producers Certified” check-mark label on the carton. More information on egg labels and what they mean here: https://uepcertified.com/what-do-label-on-egg-cartons-mean/
Until then, eggs are not cruelty-free. And even if the farms stopped culling, the treatment of the chickens who lay eggs in these awful conditions probably has not changed, unfortunately. The best way to avoid supporting cruelty in the egg industry is to stop buying and eating eggs.
Hi when in 2020 are they planning to eliminate this practice? Is it already abolished ?
Hello Louise,
Thank you for your inquiry. United Egg Producers released an update on their website stating the following, “Identifying gender in-ovo is scientifically complex and a technologically challenging issue, with millions of dollars already spent by stakeholders to develop a solution. We are aware from their regular reporting to egg industry leaders worldwide a workable, scalable solution is not yet available. This is disappointing, and we are hopeful a breakthrough is on the horizon. We will continue our engagement with stakeholders and active support of this goal.” You can read the full article here, https://unitedegg.com/united-egg-producers-updated-statement-on-male-chick-culling/.
We are disappointed that the projected date of ceasing this inhumane practice did not come to fruition.
It isn’t that UEP hasn’t found a viable solution. It’s that they haven’t found an economical solution. Big difference. Germany and France have both put animal welfare before profit by banning the revolting and barbaric practice of culling. It’s very sad that the United States won’t do the same but I’m not surprised. Culling is so horrifying that it doesn’t even make it into the consciousness of most people. Like slaughterhouses they simply don’t want to know and therefore no major outcry for change.
Are there any brands which do not cull male chicks? I am appalled by this practice.
United Egg Producers has failed us all. Is there any way we can hold them accountable for not meeting an immensely important deadline?
Germany has been doing this for 3 years there is no good reason to hold back from such an important advancement!
Hello, I see that the Rewe group in Germany has developed a method of sex selection of the egg. Have you implemented this? Do you intend to? Many thanks!
Hello, here is a recent statement from United Egg Producers about male culling: https://unitedegg.com/united-egg-producers-updated-statement-on-male-chicks-2/
Basically, they have not come up with a viable solution or method yet but they are still researching.
They still haven’t stuck to their promise. Clearly the welfare of their birds is not a concern to them, the only thing we can do at this point is stop paying for their eggs. Time to be vegan, I suppose!
There are videos on YouTube of tiny yellow male chicks being macerated ALIVE, thousands of them. I do not need eggs in my diet at all, and I don’t miss having them, but this practice will not stop because American CEO’s are greedy and have no respect for animals. If I can find a place to get eggs where they do not use animal cruelty, I might buy from them occasionally.
These big companies make me sick.
Research all you want…the alternate to culling and disposing of newly hatched male chicks is basically just killing them while they are in the shell. Sooooooo, Anti Abortion activists can go picket and add these companies to their target lists.
I wish they would just abolish this type of cruelty. I saw those videos on youtube and it’s just so heartbreaking seeing all those poor adorable and innocent chicks just mercilessly grounded up alive.It disgusts me that this still happens in the United States. I’ve also seen how they do the animals in slaughterhouses and it’s horrible,no animal deserves to go through that.Something needs to be done.
The United States is behind most nations in Europe how sad. This nation is ruled by greed. No conscience and people like myself didn’t know of such practices. I like eggs but I will not buy them because of such practices until I can find eggs that the company does not support these practices. I believe I am going to have to go plant based everything!
It doesn’t surprise me that the United States agri business is greedier than Germany France and Switzerland.It disappoints me.but Im.not surprised
I care more about what happens after hatched. If killing and grinding in the eggs stops grinding hatched, FEELING, AWARE and terrified babies from happening, fine. That way, they still aren’t stuck with males, and the product can be pet food. If eating eggs at all, I’d rather the ‘Ground alive chicks’ not exist! We must feed 8 billion humans, (I guess, though,??lol) and with climate change being allowed, again due to greed, too far, all we can do is mitigate. Animal products will be used, like it or not. But we MUST try to take the cruelty out! Transport in scorching heat, lives in small cages, etc. What happens when dead, I don’t care! But Humane treatment while alive is vital! Our fellow sentient beings deserve some happiness, no matter their fate. Let dairy cows keep calves until weaning, instead of pumping ‘scoured’ calves with chemicals. It IS cost effective!! Don’t buy unless you know they, all animals are treated humanely! Thank-you!
I care more about what happens after hatched. If killing and grinding in the eggs stops grinding hatched, FEELING, AWARE and terrified babies from happening, fine. That way, they still aren’t stuck with males, and the product can be pet food. If eating eggs at all, I’d rather the ‘Ground alive chicks’ not exist! We must feed 8 billion humans, (I guess, though,??lol) and with climate change being allowed, again due to greed, too far, all we can do is mitigate. Animal products will be used, like it or not. But we MUST try to take the cruelty out! Transport in scorching heat, lives in small cages, etc. What happens when dead, I don’t care! But Humane treatment while alive is vital! Our fellow sentient beings deserve some happiness, no matter their fate. Let dairy cows keep calves until weaning, instead of pumping ‘scoured’ calves with chemicals. It IS cost effective!! Don’t buy unless you know they, all animals are treated humanely! Thankyou!