February 12, 2008 - Forster hatches organic-egg bid

 

Peace Arch News
by: Alan Campbell

Mayor calls for city support

 

The mayor of White Rock has condemned the use of caged chickens on egg-producing farms.

 

Judy Forster criticized the “inhumane” practices of keeping chickens in cramped cages to mass-produce eggs, publicly backing Vancouver Humane Society’s campaign to reduce the number of farms using the “cruel” method.

 

And Forster is urging constituents to buy, and retailers to sell, organic eggs from free-range farms.

 

“I’m right behind the society in making life better for these animals,” Forster said last week.

 

“I most definitely think that, as a council, we should take a stand on this issue.

“No animal should suffer like this. We live in a humane society and our practices should reflect this.”

 

The society requested by letter Monday for the city to form a policy to discourage the sale of eggs from caged facilities.

 

Forster has vowed to bring the matter back before council next month, with a view to forming such a policy.

 

“I will definitely follow through on this as we need to take a stand on this very ethical issue,” she said. “I hate the idea of animals being treated like this and I would urge everyone to use free-range eggs only.”

 

However, Coun. James Coleridge tempered the condemnation, saying the customer and retailer should have the choice.

 

“The health of an individual is their option and not for us to dictate to them,” Coleridge said. “Not everyone can afford organic eggs and this is all about choice at the end of the day.

 

“I support the society’s intent, but to stop people buying or selling certain things is a bit extreme.”

 

The society wants White Rock to follow in the footsteps of Richmond, Vancouver and Whistler in requesting the elimination of eggs from caged environments at city-run facilities.

 

Burnaby, New Westminster and Toronto are currently considering similar initiatives.

 

“It’s very painless for municipalities to educate its constituents on this,” Debra Probert, society executive director, said.

 

“It’s been proven overwhelmingly for it to be cruel to have chickens in cages.”

Probert added that she would like to see White Rock form a policy to discourage the use of eggs from such farms.

 

“At least give customers the option, as 98 per cent of eggs on sale are produced from caged environments,” she said.

 

“We aim to bring that percentage down.”