Bad egg out

Gazette Editorial Board

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The nation's bad boy of Big Egg has bowed out. And that's welcome news for the Iowa egg industry.

Austin “Jack” DeCoster, and his son, Peter, said Monday they have given up control of their egg operations in Iowa, Maine and Ohio. It's the end of a mixed legacy - DeCoster became one of the nation's largest egg producers but also repeatedly violated environmental, immigration, safety and labor laws. Iowa officials labeled DeCoster as the state's only habitual violator of its environmental rules. And yet, he found ways to continue operating.

Last year, DeCoster's Wright County Egg farms were deemed responsible for producing salmonella-tainted eggs that sickened 1,900 people and led to a nationwide recall of the product.

Centrum Valley Farms in Alden, with a better track record, has signed a lease with an option to purchase the six DeCoster operations in Iowa.

Gov. Terry Branstad, longtime DeCoster critic, says the change is good news for Iowa. The state's egg industry certainly needs some. Just last week, McDonald's and Target dropped Sparboe Farms, which has Iowa operations, as a supplier after videos of animal cruelty surfaced.

We also expect our state regulators and legislators to protect Iowans if anyone the likes of DeCoster seeks a foothold within our borders.

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