Jonathan Campbell
Research for Empowerment and Survival

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The National Egg Recall - what does it mean for Boston?
August 23, 2010

The FDA has announced voluntary recalls of a half billion eggs in the Midwest, and several sources have stated that eggs sold in Massachusetts are not part of the recall. But in other articles, salmonella poisoning cases in Massachusetts were mentioned. What’s going on?

The issue here is the state of egg farming. Some of the largest providers of eggs around the country, and here in New England, run “industrial” farms in which the chickens are stacked in cages on top of each other (yes, literally, chicken droppings falling on top of chickens, high stacks of them). Millions of chickens, stacked row by row, column by column. The farms most cited by government officials and animal rights activists are run by the DeCoster family.

The farms involved in the giant national egg recall – Quality Egg, Country Eggs, Wright County Eggs, and Hillandale Farms – are either run by DeCoster or are supplied by them. DeCoster Farms in Turner Maine, the largest suppliers of eggs in New England, was recently renamed “Maine Contract Farming” but just in June 2010 paid penalties and payments of $125,000 for animal cruelty, and before then DeCoster was cited for numerous environmental, labor, and animal rights abuses on farms all over the country dating back to the 1990s.

So, it would not be surprising to find that there are cases of salmonella caused by eggs in Massachusetts, even though they were not produced on the Iowa farms involved in the recall: they are all produced in the same unsanitary conditions – caged, industrial egg and chicken farms.

My advice: Buy and eat only cage-free or organic eggs. If your grocer doesn’t have them, go elsewhere. They are available at many supermarkets such as Roche Bros. and Whole Foods.

Regards
Jonathan Campbell
Health Consultant
Editor – Boston Community Alert and Bulletin

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References:

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6580952-update-the-incredible-inedible-eggs12-billion-now-recalled-traced-to-safety-violations-farm-in-iowa

Hillandale Farms of Iowa Conducts Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Shell Eggs Because of Possible Health Risk: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm223452.htm

COUNTRY Eggs, Inc. Initiates Voluntary Recall of Large AA Loose 15 dozen Fresh Shell Eggs Because of Possible Health Risk: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm223328.htm

New England Egg Farm Conditions So Bad, They Sickened State Investigators: http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/04/new-england-egg-farm-conditions-so-bad-they-sickened-state-investigators/

Iowa Egg Farms Drawing Scrutiny: http://www.pressherald.com/news/nationworld/iowa-egg-farms-drawing-scrutiny_2010-08-23.html

Standard Disclaimer: Any economic or financial information above, in Community Alert and Bulletin, Bad Moon Rising Alerts, and the Bad Moon Rising Survival Guide do not constitute financial advice, but are condensations and distillations of the work of others and a few words of what I believe to be common sense. Please seek out an independent licensed accountant or financial advisor to review any information and references I have provided as well as their own expert knowledge, in order to tailor a financial plan to your circumstances. I cannot be held responsible for the consequences of decisions made based on the information I provide. If I suggest that you stop playing the lottery to save money and your number comes up, don't blame me.

I am a health and environment researcher and consultant. I am not a physician, and the health information, suggestions, and recommendations that I provide are not prescriptions. When you pursue alternative remedies, you are taking full responsibility for your own health decisions, and it is recommended that you consult with a qualified physician to monitor your progress. This is especially the case if you currently take pharmaceutical drugs, as your dosage requirements will likely change as your body heals.

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Jonathan Campbell
Health Consultant
Research for Empowerment and Survival
124 Metropolitan Ave
Roslindale, MA 02130-3263
Community Alert and Bulletin: http://community-alert.net

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