Let me preface this by saying, I’m not vegan.

Hell, I am not even vegetarian, because I still eat seafood. (This is just where I’m at right now, and I’ll keep trying to do better.)

I do try to stick to a mostly  vegetarian diet, and I strive to be mindful about the food choices I make.

I do eat eggs. I love eggs.

However in an attempt to eat mindfully and avoid causing harm or suffering to chickens, my family makes a point to seek out “free-range” or “cage-free” eggs when we shop.

We also always buy organic eggs from veggie-fed chickens that are free of antibiotics. So when I viewed the video below, it was a rude awakening to discover that some eggs are being marketed as “cage-free” and “humanely-raised” with “no antibiotics,” when those claims are actually completely false!

Craig Watts is a factory farm worker who has raised chickens for Perdue Farms for 22 years. He finally reached his breaking point, and invited a farm animal welfare advocate to his farm to document the horrid living conditions of these animals.

In his interview with the representative from “Compassion in World Farming” organization, he discloses that the farm practices at Perdue are:

“Not as advertised… There’s flaws in the system… [and] Consumers are being hood-winked.”

So what can we, as consumers, do to avoid purchasing eggs from dishonest and cruel factory farm such as this?

For starters, the best way is to purchase eggs from a local, organic farmer!

Visit a farmers market to purchase your eggs. Talk to the farmers. Consider visiting a nearby, local farm yourself, so you see how the animals are truly raised. Are they allowed room to move and run free? Are they allowed sunshine and fresh air? Are they well taken care of? Are the eggs you consume coming from happy, healthy chickens?

Another thing you can do is write a letter to the supermarket you shop at, asking them to stock eggs from a more humane distributer. A farm that uses meaningful third party auditing programs such as Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane, or Global Animal Partnership.

And when you see an unfamiliar “seal” or “certification” making a claims to be “organic” or “humanely-raised”, take the time to look it up and see if it is truly a reputable source or just a factory-farm producer who has invented their own “verification.”

Try to eat mindfully and strive to know where your food is coming from.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

~ Maya Angelou

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Author: Yoli Ramazzina

Editor: Catherine Monkman

Photos: YouTube screenshots