Animal Welfare Statement
The humane treatment of laying hens has guided our operations since John D. Van Zetten founded this company in 1938. It is not a policy — it is a founding value.
Our Commitment to Hen Health and Humane Care
At Oskaloosa Food Products Corp., the humane treatment of laying hens is not a policy we adopted in response to market pressure — it is a founding value that has guided our operations since John D. Van Zetten established this company in Oskaloosa, Iowa in 1938. For more than eight decades, caring for the animals in our supply chain has been inseparable from our commitment to producing the highest-quality egg products in the world.
We hold every farm in our supply network to the rigorous standards established by the United Egg Producers (UEP) Certified program — the most scientifically grounded animal husbandry framework in the U.S. egg industry. These standards, developed in partnership with independent veterinarians, animal scientists, and welfare experts, govern every aspect of hen care including housing space, nutrition, air quality, lighting, flock health monitoring, and handling protocols.
UEP Certified Supply Chain
All farms supplying Oskaloosa Food Products are United Egg Producers (UEP) Certified and subject to independent third-party audits. We do not accept product from farms that fail to meet these standards. UEP Certified guidelines are backed by decades of peer-reviewed research and are widely recognized as the industry benchmark for science-based hen welfare.
Source: United Egg Producers — UEP Certified Program Standards
The Five Freedoms
Our animal welfare approach is grounded in the internationally recognized Five Freedoms framework, adopted by the World Organisation for Animal Health and applied throughout our supply chain.
Freedom from Hunger and Thirst
Hens in our supply chain have continuous access to fresh water and a nutritionally complete diet formulated to meet age-specific requirements.
Freedom from Discomfort
Appropriate housing environments provide proper temperature, ventilation, lighting, and resting areas designed for hen health and comfort.
Freedom from Pain, Injury, and Disease
On-site flock health monitoring, access to veterinary care, and proactive disease prevention protocols protect flock health at every stage of production.
Freedom to Express Normal Behavior
Housing systems provide sufficient space and environmental enrichment to allow natural behaviors consistent with UEP Certified standards.
Freedom from Fear and Distress
All personnel who interact with laying hens receive formal training in low-stress handling and humane flock management practices.
Compliance-Ready Supply Chain
We recognize that state-level legislation — including California's Proposition 12 and similar laws in other states — establishes minimum housing standards for egg production. Our supply chain is structured to meet these requirements, ensuring our customers can source with confidence regardless of their distribution geography.
We view compliance not as a ceiling, but as a floor from which we continue to raise our standards. Offering both conventional and cage-free supply options is not a quality claim — it is a practical commitment to expanding customer choice and meeting the regulatory realities of a national marketplace.
Animal welfare science evolves, and so do our practices. We regularly review emerging research, engage with our supply partners on best practices, and support ongoing improvements to flock management. Our third-generation leadership team carries forward the same conviction that guided our founder: that the quality of our products begins with the quality of care we extend to the animals that produce them.
Questions about our animal welfare practices?
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