Office of the Senate President 900 Court St., N.E., Room S-201 Salem OR  97301 www.leg.state.or.us/senate/senpres

News Release

Contact:    Robin Maxey                                                                  July 7, 2011

                   (503) 986-1605   

                   robin.maxey@state.or.us                                                             

Statement by Senate President Peter Courtney on National

Agreement to Improve Standards for Egg-Laying Hens

“Once again Oregon has led the nation. There are eggs in almost every refrigerator in almost every kitchen in this country. Thanks to legislation in Oregon and Washington, a new national standard will mean all of the eggs in the United States will be produced in a more humane way.

“What began as an effort by the Oregon Senate, the Oregon Humane Society and Oregon egg farmers to improve the lives of 2.5 million laying hens in Oregon has led to dramatically better standards for all 280 million laying hens in the country

“There was plenty of opportunity along the way to give up and just leave the battle to a ballot initiative. The key players were not willing to do that. The Oregon Humane Society, the egg farmers, their lobbyists and Legislative staff kept hammering away at a compromise. The result is a new national standard, which could become the first federal law ever governing the treatment of animals on farms.

“I still believe that if we take care of the animals, they will take care of us.”

Note to editors: The Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers today announce an unprecedented agreement to work together toward the enactment of comprehensive new federal legislation for all hens involved in U.S. egg production. The standards mirror closely the enriched colony cage system standards adopted by the Washington and Oregon Legislatures this year. Senate President Peter Courtney was the driving force behind passage of SB 805 in the Oregon Legislature.

The agreement to pass comprehensive federal legislation for standards of egg production puts a hold on planned ballot measures related to egg-laying hens in both states.

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