Last week, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) held an unusual press conference. The group announced an agreement with its long-time adversary, the United Egg Producers (UEP), to jointly seek
federal legislation that would improve the housing conditions of
egg-laying hens.

As a result, HSUS is calling off its recent efforts to get ballot measures passed in Oregon and Washington State on the issue.

Those
initiatives would have prohibited cages so confining that egg-laying
hens could not fully extend their wings, as well as barred the sale of
eggs from producers that didn’t comply. California and Michigan already
have similar laws.

Given how strongly the egg
industry has resisted efforts to ban battery hen cages over the years,
it’s understandable that many animal welfare groups would praise the agreement.
(Many details of the deal are still sketchy; I am told the legal
agreement between HSUS and UEP is confidential so I have not seen it.)

 

Change is still a long way off

But
the celebration seems premature. First of all, we are far from seeing
any actual law enacted. HSUS and UEP have only agreed to ask Congress
to pass a bill. The legislative process is very messy, and there will no
doubt be detractors and dirty deals cut down the road, if we even get
that far. Has anyone noticed that the current Congress isn’t exactly in
the mood for more regulation?

Also, other powerful trade groups could derail the process. Already, the National Pork Producers Council is complaining about the prospect of federal law, and is likely lining up other animal
trade groups to oppose the HSUS-UEP measure out of fear that they will be
next.

Second, the agreement allows industry a
long phase-in period for the increase in housing space requirements.
(Other provisions would take place upon enactment.) While space is to
double current standards in “enriched cages,” egg facilities have 15-18
years to come into full compliance. In the meantime, there will be
incremental requirements for increasing space available for birds in
cages. (However, California producers would come into full compliance by
2015, as required by the ballot measure passed there in 2008.)