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Summary of McDonald's USA Laying Hens Guidelines
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In support of McDonald's Animal Welfare Guiding Principles and recommendations issued by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Animal Welfare for United Egg Producers (UEP), McDonald's has established guidelines that meet or exceed industry standards to ensure the proper treatment of laying hens used for egg production.
McDonald's will purchase eggs from producers that support our corporate guidelines related to animal welfare and the UEP Scientific Advisory Committee's recommendations.
Specifically, cages should be specified and designed to target a minimum of 72 square inches of space and a minimum of 4 inches of feeder space with minor allowances for variation due to construction. This enables simultaneous feeding for all birds. It is McDonald's recommendation that non-dedicated facilities achieve these same guidelines.
McDonald's does not support the withdrawal of food or water to facilitate molting, as it violates our Animal Welfare Guiding Principles.
McDonald's does not support improperly controlled and/or improperly managed "beak trimming," as it violates our Animal Welfare Guiding Principles.
Additionally, in 2009, McDonald’s USA teamed with leading animal welfare scientists, academics, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and egg suppliers in a commercial-scale study of housing alternatives for egg-laying hens in the U.S.. The study will look at the sustainability impacts of different laying hen housing environments, including cage-free housing, on animal health and well-being, safe and affordable food, the environment, and worker welfare.
The research is being led by Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). Along with McDonald’s, the multi-stakeholder Coalition advising the study includes the American Humane Association (AHA), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Cargill Incorporated, and the Center for Food Integrity (CFI).
The goal of the study is to understand the viability of alternate housing systems in the U.S., including cage-free and “enriched housing,” which includes nests and perches, as well as the housing environments used by McDonald’s current supply system in the U.S., which adheres to McDonald’s strict Laying Hen standards. Another goal is to provide scientific-based research that will assist McDonald’s and other companies in making more informed decisions on sustainable egg purchases, taking into account their independent company values and business needs.
The eggs produced during this study are expected to be used in McDonald’s U.S. restaurants, provided they meet stringent food safety and quality standards.
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