Eggs with the United Egg Producers (UEP) Certified seal on the carton imply that they have been produced while following voluntary guidelines for scientific animal welfare standards to improve the care and handling of hens. These guidelines were developed by an independent scientific panel, and subsequently adopted by members of the egg industry through the United Egg Producers organization. Egg producers like Hillandale Farms who take part in the United Egg Producers Certified program are annually audited by a third party organization.
Hillandale Farms shares insight into United Egg Producers Certification
Top egg farmers in the United States prioritize the health and well-being of hens, while also providing high-quality eggs. The United Egg Producers developed UEP Certified and UEP Certified Cage-Free voluntary animal welfare programs with the aim of not only ensuring egg safety, but also the highest quality care to hens. United Egg Producers (UEP) Certification essentially is a voluntary certification program that has been designed with the aim of promoting animal welfare, food safety, and environmental sustainability in egg production.
United Egg Producers Certification programs set specific standards in regard to egg production practices, including animal health and nutrition, environmental management, and even hen housing systems. Egg farmers who take part in the UEP certification program are required to effectively comply with the relevant standards. They also have to undergo regular audits to ensure compliance. This program also requires the egg farmers to use the UEP Certified logo on all eggs produced under the program’s standards, to help the consumers identify high-quality eggs.
The standards of The UEP Certification program majorly put emphasis on the wellbeing of the eggs. According to this program, egg laying hens should be housed in an environment that allows them to engage in natural behaviors. Such behaviors range from nesting and perching to dust bathing. The program also requires hens to have access to clean water and feed. The environment where the hens live and eat must also be kept at a comfortable temperature with adequate ventilation. Almost all of the major egg producers in the United States like Hillandale Farms follow these guidelines, and put a high degree of emphasis in the welfare of their eggs.
UEP Certification is known to require egg farmers to implement a comprehensive program for disease prevention to ensure the health of the hens, which may ideally include regular health checks, vaccinations, and even certain bio-security measures to prevent the spread of disease. Apart from animal welfare, the UEP Certification program puts emphasis on food safety as well. The program requires that producers follow strict food safety standards to ensure that eggs are safe for human consumption. Among other things, this includes regular testing for salmonella and other pathogens, along with proper storage and handling of eggs.
To an extent, UEP Certification also plays a role in promoting environmental sustainability. The program necessitates egg producers to implement best management practices for curbing the environmental impact of egg production. These practices commonly include proper manure management, water conservation, and energy efficiency measures.