Stop Olivera Foods
www.NoMoreOlivera.com
THE BACKGROUND ON OLIVERA FOODS
Olivera Foods, a large-scale egg producer with a lengthy trail of public complaints, seeks to build a 900,000 chicken egg facility in Stockton, Calif. The industrial facility would have a negative impact on local residents, real estate prices, animal welfare and environmental quality.
Why is Olivera Foods so rotten?
Olivera Foods currently operates a 700,000 caged hen egg laying operation in French Camp, Calif. Olivera’s egg laying hens are confined to small wire enclosures, known as ‘battery cages’, in ten warehouse-style sheds on its property.
Battery cages prohibit hens from engaging in natural behaviors such as spreading their wings, lying down comfortably, or dust bathing. This confinement practice violates Section 597t of the California State Penal Code, which requires that confined animals have adequate exercise space. The stocking density of the Olivera’s cages range from six to ten birds per enclosure. Click here to view footage of Olivera Foods.
To prevent the birds from injuring each other in the crowded quarters, a portion of their beaks are severed without the aid of anesthesia. Studies show that partial beak imputation of chickens results in long-term pain.
At approximately two years of age, hens typically complete their egg production cycle within the industry. Thereafter, ‘spent hens’ are killed without any protections under California's 1990 Methods of Slaughter law. There is no legal requirement for humane handling of spent laying hens, nor is there any requirement that they be rendered insensible to pain before slaughter.
At the French Camp property, Olivera Foods deposits its liquid manure in to lagoons, which produces noxious odors. In February 2007, a complaint was filed with the Environmental Health Department of San Joaquin County concerning Olivera’s “very strong odors from the manure ponds” and incinerator disposal of dead chickens. Owner Edward Olivera reports: “The normal daily mortality of 250-300 chickens is incinerated in two incinerators.” Other recent complaints cite problems relating to Olivera's “manure management, weeds, substandard chicken houses, and abandoned vehicles.” In fact, 160,000 chickens died at Olivera's farm last year, due to outmoded ventilation systems.
In Los Banos, Calif., Olivera’s egg laying facility, which closed its doors in December 2005, was another source of complaints concerning improper raw sewage runoff, a blatant violation of the California Health and Safety Code. Dating back to 1980, complaints of heavy fly populations and excessive poultry manure accumulation are recorded at this facility.
In addition, Olivera Foods mismanaged an egg facility in Gilroy, which shut down in September 2005. Over a three-year period, public nuisance inspections of Olivera's Gilroy property cost Santa Clara County over $28,000. The reports from the County of Santa Clara Environmental Resources Agency (Department of Environmental Health, Vector Control District) reveal:
“The complaints from these residents have been excessive flies, excessive odor and concern the ground water which supplies the community wells in the immediate area may be tainted from poultry manure related organisms. These complaints as well as testimony at the community meeting speak to the detrimental effects on the well-being of a majority of the surrounding population. Domestic flies are well chronicled throughout modern as well as ancient history as being both mechanical as well as enteric transmitters of disease….This manure is laden with numerous bacteria types that may include Salmonella, which can cause severe food poisoning. Domestic flies, such as those found in considerable numbers are 4140 Canada Road, [Gilroy] have been shown to harbor about 100 different pathogens and are implicated in vectoring (transmitting) at least 65 of them.”
Learn more about Olivera Foods:
160,000 chickens die at Olivera Foods Poultry Farm in French Camp
Olivera Foods leaves Gilroy egg ranch location
Why is Olivera Foods so rotten?
Olivera Foods currently operates a 700,000 caged hen egg laying operation in French Camp, Calif. Olivera’s egg laying hens are confined to small wire enclosures, known as ‘battery cages’, in ten warehouse-style sheds on its property.
Battery cages prohibit hens from engaging in natural behaviors such as spreading their wings, lying down comfortably, or dust bathing. This confinement practice violates Section 597t of the California State Penal Code, which requires that confined animals have adequate exercise space. The stocking density of the Olivera’s cages range from six to ten birds per enclosure. Click here to view footage of Olivera Foods.
To prevent the birds from injuring each other in the crowded quarters, a portion of their beaks are severed without the aid of anesthesia. Studies show that partial beak imputation of chickens results in long-term pain.
At approximately two years of age, hens typically complete their egg production cycle within the industry. Thereafter, ‘spent hens’ are killed without any protections under California's 1990 Methods of Slaughter law. There is no legal requirement for humane handling of spent laying hens, nor is there any requirement that they be rendered insensible to pain before slaughter.
At the French Camp property, Olivera Foods deposits its liquid manure in to lagoons, which produces noxious odors. In February 2007, a complaint was filed with the Environmental Health Department of San Joaquin County concerning Olivera’s “very strong odors from the manure ponds” and incinerator disposal of dead chickens. Owner Edward Olivera reports: “The normal daily mortality of 250-300 chickens is incinerated in two incinerators.” Other recent complaints cite problems relating to Olivera's “manure management, weeds, substandard chicken houses, and abandoned vehicles.” In fact, 160,000 chickens died at Olivera's farm last year, due to outmoded ventilation systems.In 2006, Valley Fresh Inc.,
In Los Banos, Calif., Olivera’s egg laying facility, which closed its doors in December 2005, was another source of complaints concerning improper raw sewage runoff, a blatant violation of the California Health and Safety Code. Dating back to 1980, complaints of heavy fly populations and excessive poultry manure accumulation are recorded at this facility.
In addition, Olivera Foods mismanaged an egg facility in Gilroy, which shut down in September 2005. Over a three-year period, public nuisance inspections of Olivera's Gilroy property cost Santa Clara County over $28,000. The reports from the County of Santa Clara Environmental Resources Agency (Department of Environmental Health, Vector Control District) reveal: “The complaints from these residents have been excessive flies, excessive odor and concern the ground water which supplies the community wells in the immediate area may be tainted from poultry manure related organisms. These complaints as well as testimony at the community meeting speak to the detrimental effects on the well-being of a majority of the surrounding population. Domestic flies are well chronicled throughout modern as well as ancient history as being both mechanical as well as enteric transmitters of disease….This manure is laden with numerous bacteria types that may include Salmonella, which can cause severe food poisoning. Domestic flies, such as those found in considerable numbers are 4140 Canada Road, [Gilroy] have been shown to harbor about 100 different pathogens and are implicated in vectoring (transmitting) at least 65 of them.”
Learn more about Olivera Foods:
160,000 chickens die at Olivera Foods Poultry Farm in French Camp
Olivera Foods leaves Gilroy egg ranch location