Federal laying hen standards bill goes before Congress
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2012:
Federal laying hen standards bill goes before Congress
WASHINGTON D.C.–Awaited for seven months, a proposed federal law governing the care of laying hens was on January 23, 2012 introduced by Oregon Member of the House of Representatives Kurt Schrader. Assigned bill number HR 3798, the draft legislation results from a July 2011 pact between the Humane Society of the U.S. and United Egg Producers, the largest trade association representing U.S. egg farmers. Under the agreement, HSUS withdrew ballot initiative campaigns seeking laying hen standards in Washington and Oregon, in exchange for UEP collaboration in pursuit of a weaker federal standard which would govern the entire U.S. laying hen industry.