"Commercial egg producers will begin inducing molts without feed withdrawal . . . reversing a practice followed for more than 100 years." -- Feedstuffs, Front Page, May 9, 2005
"Dear UPC - Thank you for the "What Can I Do?" at the end of articles in PoultryPress. I've been prompted to write letters, thanks to your synopsis of each issue, which helps me formulate my thoughts on paper." - Leslie Carey, UPC Member
Spring-Summer 2005
Dear Friend,
Who would have thought back in 1993 when United Poultry Concerns launched the first-ever animal rights inquiry into the hidden egg industry practice of starving chickens for profit, known as "forced molting," that our investigation and subsequent campaign spelled the end of this horrible practice?
Yet we did it, and by doing so, United Poultry Concerns accomplished the BIGGEST FARMED ANIMAL WELFARE REFORM in US history to date - relief from miserable starvation for more than 300 million hens trapped in battery cages each year and billions of hens in years to come.
Poring over hundreds of poultry science articles on the link between starving hens and industry profits, UPC translated this musty monstrousness into clear explanations that brought the entire animal protection movement, the public and the press to join our fight to end forced molting. And we succeeded.
In "Join the Fight to End Abuse of Laying Hens," the AWI Quarterly of the Animal Welfare Institute proclaimed in 2000: "The United Egg Producers is at last realizing that it is being seriously criticized. United Poultry Concerns' words carry weight with publications as diverse as The Washington Post and Feedstuffs, the big agribusiness trade journal."
United Poultry Concerns is fighting to relieve the suffering of billions of birds trapped in food production and slaughterhouses, even as we work to free them from slaughterhouses forever!
In April, Canada's big agribusiness newspaper, The Western Producer, quoted UPC's press release protesting the killing of unwanted chickens with carbon dioxide - "the system may be cost effective, but it cannot be called humane."
And the April issue of PoultryUSA begins a feature article on poultry stunning: "Recent activity by welfare advocacy groups including United Poultry Concerns . . . has resulted in renewed interest in alternatives to electrical stunning in the U.S. poultry industry."
Hard as we work to uncover the ugly facts of the poultry industry - and turn what we learn into publicity, and public action - we count on our members to swell the volume of letters and keep up the pressure. And just as importantly, we depend on our members - we depend upon you - to support us financially.
Your contributions are the basis of our investigations, our campaigns, our educational outreach, our sanctuary, and our staff. At this time we are in dire need of significant donations. Our shoestring
budget is strained, and we are asking for your immediate financial support.
If you believe that the work of United Poultry Concerns is vital - please don't wait. Please send us a tax-deductible donation today. The birds depend on United Poultry Concerns and we depend on you. It's that simple. We look forward to your strong and continuing support, and we thank you for making our work possible.
Yes! I support UPC's vigorous fight for chickens, turkeys and ducks! 
United Poultry Concerns, Inc.
PO Box 150
Machipongo, VA 23405-0150
757-678-7875
FAX: 757-678-5070
www.upc-online.org
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