The struggle for animal rights has again found its way to campus. Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has been lobbying University Housing to buy eggs laid by uncaged, or free-range, hens to serve in the residence halls.
The group opposes commercial farms’ use of battery cages, which cramp hens in tight quarters.
The University currently buys eggs from farms that use battery cages. Food Services Director for University Housing Tom Driscoll says using cage-free eggs could cost up to an additional $33,640. Driscoll has said it will take time for administrators to consider changes, and probably nothing will happen before summer.
Using eggs from free-roaming chickens is politically trendy at the moment. Schools such as Dartmouth and the University of Wisconsin have made the switch. We agree with SETA that mass agriculture that seeks to maximize production and profits more than the health of livestock and the safety of consumers is detrimental.
However, students will likely foot the bill if the University changes its egg-buying practices. Thus this decision should have student input beyond SETA.
Before making this decision, students must have more facts about the exact condition of the chickens used to produce the University’s eggs.
Last year’s initiative to gauge student interest in paying more fees for wind energy serves as a proper example. That process involved the incidental fee, but a similar survey of residence hall students is needed because they are the people whose room and board costs will probably climb if cage-free eggs are used.
It’s time for students to be afforded an opportunity to weigh in on this issue and to pick their priorities when it comes to paying for and eating eggs.