Cage-Free Eggs at the University of Minnesota

Since our announcement last Thursday about the University's recent switch to using liquid, cage-free eggs in the residence halls, the news have garnered a variety of positive media coverage ranging from the St. Paul Pioneer Press to the Minnesota Daily. This switch has made the University of Minnesota the largest school in the country to serve cage-free eggs, adding up to nearly 28,800 eggs per week, and setting a precedent for other schools and businesses to follow. We are now working with students at several other Minnesota colleges to enact a similar policy that will boldly say "no" to battery-cage eggs.

The battery-cage egg industry has never come under as much pressure as now, with countless other schools, restaurant chains, grocery stores, and individual consumers participating in boycotts. Although CAA would like to see a world where animals are not exploited at all, a move to cage-free eggs is a pragmatic step in improving the lives of thousands of hens each year - especially for large institutions, like the U of M, that will not be eliminating eggs anytime in the near future.

If you haven't already, please thank the University Dining Services by sending them a quick e-mail at dining@umn.edu.

Your volunteer time and financial contributions are essential for CAA's efforts on behalf of farm animals, such as our "No Battery Eggs" campaign. Please consider making a special donation today, either online or by mail:

Compassionate Action for Animals
P.O. Box 13149
Minneapolis, MN 55414

We look forward to many more victories for the animals with your support!

Send Letters to the Media on Cage-Free Switch

In the Saint Paul Pioneer Press article from last Friday, "Cage-Free Eggs on the Menu at the U", we read:

"In a victory for animal-rights activists and chickens, the University of Minnesota has decided to start buying [liquid] eggs solely from companies that don't keep their hens penned in small cages.

Anti-cruelty groups have long considered the "battery" cages used in egg-production operations to be among factory farming's cruelest practices. Chickens have little room to move, they must be 'de-beaked,' and they bruise easily."

Read the full article (registration required) and send your letters to letters@pioneerpress.com.

The Minnesota Daily featured a front-page article today headlining, "U Switches to Cage-Free", which reads:

"Animal rights activists earned a victory at the University based on some recent measures taken by University Dining Services.

UDS began using cage-free eggs in all its residential dining facilities mid-April as one of more than 150 universities in the country to switch partially or entirely to cage-free eggs..."

Read the full article and please send letters discussing more about the living conditions of battery-caged hens and CAA's important role in this switch to letters@mndaily.com.

Lastly, listen to Sunday's broadcast of Animal Wise Radio on Air America 950AM, in which CAA's campaign coordinator Gil Schwartz is interviewed about the switch. You can download the segment and skip to 17 minutes, 15 seconds.

Veg Nutrition Tips: Calcium

By Alex Lacey

Achieving adequate levels of calcium can be challenging for omnivores and even more so for vegans. Vegetarians often get adequate calcium from milk and other dairy products, but vegans have more limited sources of calcium available. Despite these limitations, vegans do have many options if they consume a varied diet and pay attention to their daily calcium intake.

Though supplements can be a good addition to the diet, they should not be depended upon as the sole source or a major source of daily calcium. There are several tactics that vegans can employ to ensure adequate intake and maximize absorption.

Read Alex's tips on maximizing your calcium intake.

Alex is studying nutrition at the University of Minnesota and plans to become a registered dietician (R.D.). Please e-mail her at alex@exploreveg.org if you have a nutrition question you would like to see answered in CAA's weekly e-newsletter.