Retailers Pull Eggs After Sparboe Farms Video Uncovers Conditions

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November 22, 2011

Stores are pulling eggs and shoppers are facing shortages after supplier Sparboe Farms is found operating in unhealthy conditions.

On November 18, animal rights group Mercy for Animals released an undercover video subsequently broadcast on ABC News’ 20/20, secretly recorded at several Sparboe farms. The video showed animals kept in unsanitary conditions and subject to repeated acts of cruelty. Sparboe supplies eggs to supermarkets including Lund’s and Byerly’s, Sam’s Club and Target stores, which sells the eggs under its Market Pantry store brand.

Sam’s Club issued the following statement: "At Sam's Club, we hold our suppliers to high standards to ensure our members can count on us to provide safe, quality food. All egg suppliers for Sam's Club meet the USDA and/or UEF guidelines for providing safe, sanitized eggs to our shelves and to our members. With concern for recent allegations portraying detrimental management and animal welfare issues at Sparboe Farms egg laying facilities, Sam's Club has discontinued our relationship with Sparboe Farms as an egg supplier. Furthermore, we have reached out to all Sam's Club egg suppliers to ensure that quality standards and handling procedures are being met every day."

The Food and Drug Administration cited at least 13 violations of the recently enacted federal egg rule meant to prevent dangerous salmonella outbreaks and cited "serious" and "significant violations" at five different locations. "This is a warning that there is a systemic problem, not just at one barn or one location," former FDA food safety chief David Acheson, now an industry consultant, according to ABC News.

Target and other retailers pulled the eggs from stores immediately and cut ties with Sparboe Farms. The supplier is the fifth largest of shell eggs in the U.S. and supplies McDonalds with the eggs used in its breakfast sandwiches in addition to those sold as store brands.

Sparboe Farms has made several claims during the last few days since the violations were uncovered. “These images depict activity completely at odds with our animal welfare policies and do not represent our company or the high standards that have always been a hallmark of our operations,” said Beth Sparboe Schnell, Sparboe Farms president. The supplier has hired a firm to assist its compliance team in taking corrective action.

But store shelves either remain empty or are being restocked with eggs from different suppliers as affected retailers face egg shortages in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

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