Sparboe Farms of Minnesota has turned over documents in a lawsuit against the United Egg Producers (UEP) that alleges that UEP and its members were involved in price fixing. The lawsuit was brought following sharp increases in egg prices, including a 45 percent rise between August 2007 and March 2008. The information provided by Sparboe details the UEP call for slowed production.
The UEP contends that it called for decreased production in an effort to improve animal welfare- to give caged hens more room. However, the documents provided by Sparboe indicate that the program was a cover to reduce the number of egg-laying hens and therefore increase the price of eggs. Even after the initiative, hens were provided less space than a letter-sized sheet of paper in which to live.
The Humane Society of the United States has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to initiate a criminal investigation of the United Egg Producers.
Sparboe Farms, initially a defendant in the case, has now been dropped from the lawsuit.
