May 26, 2009

McDonald's will undertake a large scale study involving tens of thousands of hens as it seeks to buy eggs produced under higher welfare conditions.

McDonald's is teaming up with one of its primary egg suppliers, Cargill Inc., and several animal welfare scientists to conduct a commercial-scale study of housing alternatives for hens, including cage-free and "enriched housing".

McDonald's plans to use eggs produced during the study in its US restaurants and the project will be producing eggs, including cage-free eggs, by 2011.

The study will look at sustainable egg production, including examining environmental effects and worker welfare in hen houses.

But Paul Shapiro, head of the Humane Society's factory-farming initiative, said the study will take two years to complete and delay McDonald's from making the same reforms its rivals have already adopted.

Shapiro noted that Burger King, Carl's Jr., Denny's, Hardee's and Quizno's, have all agreed to make cage-free eggs up to five percent of their US egg purchases.