Massive Egg Farm Unwelcome in the San Joaquin Valley

STOCKTON, CA (March 20, 2007)—Today, a number of animal welfare groups
joined Stockton, Calif., residents in opposing the development of a
massive egg factory farm in the area. Olivera Family Limited
Partnership, a San Jose-based industrial egg producer, plans to expand
its operations to the Stockton community with a 900,000-hen factory egg
farm. Members of the coalition and local community will gather this week
to express their concerns to the San Joaquin County Community Development
Department over Olivera's proposed development:

Date: Sunday, March 25
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary, 14741 Wing Levee Road, Stockton

Launching an online campaign at http://www.NoMoreOlivera.com, the organizations
cite Olivera's dismal record as evidence that the proposed factory farm
will undoubtedly threaten neighboring homes, damage the local
environment and abuse animals. The coalition includes Harvest Home
Animal Sanctuary, East Bay Animal Advocates, Animal Place, Animal
Protection Institute, The Association of Veterinarians for Animal
Rights, Food Empowerment Project, GRACE Factory Farm Project, The
Humane Society of the United States, In Defense of Animals, Marin
Humane Society, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, United
Animal Nations, and United Poultry Concerns.

“The last thing that the Stockton area needs is another factory farm
poisoning our community, polluting our environment and abusing
animals,” stated Stockton resident Karen Courtemanche, co-founder of
Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary. “Stockton deserves better than to be a
dumping ground for factory farm cruelty.”

Despite numerous animal neglect, environmental nuisance, and public
health complaints against other Olivera factory farms dating back to
1980, the San Joaquin County Planning Department is planning to grant
the company development approval without an Environmental Impact
Report.

Like other factory egg farms notorious for their cruelty, Olivera
confines hens in battery cages—wire enclosures so restrictive, the
birds cannot even walk or spread their wings.

“It’s outrageous that the planning department wants give a green light
to a company that will be terrible for both the community and animal
welfare,” said Courtemanche. “At a time when companies are moving away
from cage eggs in droves, there’s no reason to build another battery
cage factory farm.”

For more information, visit http://www.NoMoreOlivera.com

About Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary
Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary (HHAS) was formed to aid homeless and
abused domestic and farmed animals in the San Francisco Bay Area and
the San Joaquin Valley. HHAS assists local humane societies and rescue
groups with animals—primarily farmed animals—who, due to their breed,
their health, or their personality, cannot be adopted into permanent
homes. On the web at http://www.HarvestHomeAnimal.org.

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