September 6, 2005

Egg Producer Here Hit For Treatment of Hens
By: Janet Kelley
The Lancaster New Era

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - A Philadelphia-based animal rights group levied animal cruelty allegations today against a Lancaster County egg production company.Hugs for Puppies, a non-profit, volunteer organization, had scheduled a noon press conference in Philadelphia today to announce its complaints against Kreider Farms.

While Kreider's treatment of its egg-laying hens is no different from any other large poultry company in America, Lisa Levinson, a spokeswoman for the animal rights group said this morning, the Lancaster County business is being singled out because it is one of the state's largest egg production companies.
It is also the main egg supplier for restaurants and grocery stores in southeastern Pennsylvania, Levinson said.

Tom Beachler, operations manager for the Manheim-based poultry business, said the company had not been contacted by the animal-rights group and was not aware of its allegations.

" We take excellent care of our animals," Beachler said, “" for their health's sake, for food safety and for the environment. We continue to have farm tours that are open to the public," Beachler said, noting they are in the process of establishing a "“chicken cam," which provides a live action camera of the chickens on the farm, as they currently have with their cows.“

"We have nothing to hide with our farm animals," Beachler added.

While Kreider's treatment of its chickens may be standard practice, Levinson said, "the common standard practices are cruel...and, they are not the standard practices in Europe and other countries."
The group claims to have conducted a 10-month undercover investigation of three Kreider farms, in Mount Joy, Columbia and Middletown, Levinson said, in which they entered chicken houses at night and videotaped the interiors.

The videotapes were then shown to a veterinarian, who commented on the conditions, forming the basis of the complaint.

Among the issues raised by the group is overcrowding of the hens, housed in rows of small wire cages where they are unable to walk on solid ground. The hens are also said to be breathing air filled with dust and fumes.

Levinson said "free-range," where animals are allowed to forage for food and spend time outside in a natural manner, is the only acceptable way to keep chickens by animal rights standards. Beachler said Kreider's also has "free-range" chickens.

Hugs for Puppies noted that it planned to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau about Kreider's claim of promoting “"happy and well-treated" chickens.

 

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