The switch came largely as a response to student input, says Ron Rudebock, Director of Dining Services.
The student group Always Working for Animal Rights and Equality, better known as HSU A.W.A.R.E., played a key role in completing the switch to cage-free eggs. It has worked closely with Rudebock to promote vegan and vegetarian dining options on campus, according to the group’s president, Mary Sue Savage. “When I was first contacted by the Humane Society in January and told about their cage-free campaign, I was immediately interested in bringing this issue up with Ron,” she says.
When Savage brought her ideas to Rudebock, she learned that HSU already used cage-free fresh and liquid eggs. However, the university had not made the switch to cage-free boiled eggs.
“After learning that the transition was not fully complete, Ron was very willing to make sure that Dining Services completely switched over to only using cage-free eggs,” Savage says.
By March, HSU had fully implemented the change.
“After meeting with Ron throughout the semester and checking up on the progress being made, Humboldt State University is officially cage-free,” Savage says. “It’s a great step for the dining services to take and demonstrates their commitment to meeting students’ needs.”
Winner of the 2010 Sustainable Foodservice award from the CSU Office of the Chancellor, HSU Dining Services will continue to pursue more responsible dining policies.
Although HSU is now using all cage-free eggs, it will still seek to switch other products that use eggs to cage-free products, Rudebock says. Currently, he and Dining Services are working to transition to a cage-free mayonnaise.