Consumers, birds could suffer when activists direct poultry production

The recent election was very controversial.  No, I am not talking about the Presidential election, but the measure that was passed in Massachusetts to prevent confinement rearing of several species including table-egg hens.   This measure is estimated to increase the food bill of each resident of that state by $45 per year.  I wish that we could somehow communicate more effectively how many advancements have been made in animal welfare in the last 15 years.  It has been a meteoric change in housing, audits to verify animal care, record keeping and handling.  We all appreciated how many changes Temple Grandin has been able to accomplish in the design of slaughter plants.  The move to move sows to group housing and chickens out of cages has happened very fast.  Maybe too fast. Now we are seeing pressure to make some serious changes on the way broilers are raised.  Chipotle has teamed up with the Humane Society of the United States and Compassion for World Farming USA to influence how chickens destined for burritos will be raised.  These changes are reported to be:  changes in genetics to encourage slower growth, changes in density that limit the number of birds in each house, changes in lighting, and a switch to controlled atmosphere killing at processing.  The push for slow growing birds may have some appeal at first look, but as with most quick decisions, there are unanticipated consequences.