Huge "No Battery Eggs" Campaign Victory

In announcing the switch on its website, the University Dining Services describes the "exciting" switch as "bring[ing] environmental and social awareness to the University of Minnesota."

The UofM is the largest of the many Minnesota schools—including Macalester College, Northwestern College, St. Cloud State University, and St. Olaf— to completely eliminate or drastically reduce their use of battery cage eggs.

We are delighted that the University of Minnesota has taken the important step to withdraw support from one of factory farming's worst cruelties—highly restrictive caging of hens. This move, from one of the United States' largest universities, is sending a clear message to the egg industry: battery eggs are simply too cruel for any socially responsible school to support.

CAA first approached the dining services about making the switch in the summer of 2005, and after a year of campaigning, dozens of positive letters and articles, and thousands of signatures on our petition, we are excited that the University has enacted this policy. And this was in spite of an active effort by the battery cage egg industry to combat our campaign!

While we recognize that cage-free hens do not live cruelty-free lives and may not be able to go outside, they are able to walk, spread their wings, stand on solid ground, and lay their eggs in nests—all instinctive behaviors permanently denied to hens confined in battery cages. This victory has tangibly improved the lives of thousands of animals a year.

A special thank you to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly campaigning on this issue—none of this would have been possible without your unrelenting efforts!

If you would like to get more actively involved in CAA's No Battery Eggs campaign, working with other local restaurants and businesses, or other campaigns, please fill out our online volunteer form.

Your financial contributions are essential for CAA's efforts on behalf of farm animals. Please make a special donation today!

Please thank University Dining Services, by sending them a quick e-mail to dining@umn.edu.