The International Workers’ Day, sometimes
People
A recent report
2 . Without less public attention, the nation’s egg producers are in the midst of a multibillion-dollar shift to cage-free eggs that is dramatically changing the lives of millions of hens in response to new laws and demands from restaurant chains. In a decade, the percentage of hens in cage-free housing has soared from 4% in 2010 to 28% in 2020, and that figure is expected to more than double to about 70% in the next four years.
The change marks one of the animal welfare movement’s biggest successes after years of battles with the food industry. The transition has cost billions of dollars for producers who initially resisted calls for more humane treatment of chickens but have since fully embraced the new reality.
Beginning in about 2015, many companies such as McDonald’s, Burger King responded to pressure from animal welfare groups by announcing their commitment to cage-free eggs. That was followed by laws requiring cage-free housing in California and similar rules in at least seven other states. Meanwhile, they widely promoted their move to cage-free as good for their brand’s image.
Animal rights groups have made allowing animals room to move a priority in their campaigns but the results have been mixed. The pork industry is fighting to block the California initiative that required more space for breeding pigs, and a state judge recently delayed implementation of new rules.
Looking years into the future, egg company leaders said they think the demand for cheaper eggs from caged hens will remain roughly 25% or more of the market, but Balk at the Humane Society said he expects it to become a tiny percentage of overall sales. Balk notes that hundreds of national retailers, restaurants, grocers and food manufacturers either have implemented cage-free requirements or plan to do so within a few years. “This is the future of every state in America,” he said.
1. What’s Balk’s attitude towards the promotion of cage-free eggs?| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．Objective. | D．Pessimistic. |
| A．Accepted. | B．Abandoned. | C．Changed. | D．Adapted. |
| A．There have been some laws or rules requiring cage-free housing in some parts of the USA so far. |
| B．Egg producers have to deal with the sharp increase in the exact cost of the switch |
| C．Animal rights groups have successfully made allowing animals room to move a priority in their campaigns. |
| D．Many companies like Mc Donald’s widely promoted their move to cage-free as good for their brand’s image. |
| A．Animal well-fare groups’ request will be well achieved |
| B．More U.S. Eggs Will Soon Be Cage-Free |
| C．Consumers will have to pay more to eat eggs |
| D．Egg producers will experience dramatic changes to adapt |
