Burger King Shifts Policy on Animals

[RiverStone]

Source: New York Times

By ANDREW MARTIN
Published: March 28, 2007

In what animal welfare advocates are describing as a “historic advance,” Burger King, the world’s second-largest hamburger chain, said yesterday that it would begin buying eggs and pork from suppliers that did not confine their animals in cages and crates.

The company said that it would also favor suppliers of chickens that use gas, or “controlled-atmospheric stunning,” rather than electric shocks to knock birds unconscious before slaughter. It is considered a more humane method, though only a handful of slaughterhouses use it.

The goal for the next few months, Burger King said is for 2 percent of its eggs to be “cage free,” and for 10 percent of its pork to come from farms that allow sows to move around inside pens, rather than being confined to crates. The company said those percentages would rise as more farmers shift to these methods and more competitively priced supplies become available.

The cage-free eggs and crate-free pork will cost more, although it is not clear how much because Burger King is still negotiating prices, Steven Grover, vice president for food safety, quality assurance and regulatory compliance, said. Prices of food at the chain’s restaurants will not be increased as a result.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/business/28burger.html?em&ex=1175227200&en=136fdbcbc74c8eb9&ei=5087%0A

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So what would be the BK designation for a cruelty free burger? :shrug:

Of course, the reality is there is far more cruelty to production farming then just how the animals are confined; not to mention the hormones and other drugs that are pumped into these poor creatures that end up as a McSomething.

But I'll give kudos to BK for taking a definitive step in the right direction. If ALL fast food companies switched to demanding more humane production animal farming practices from their meat suppliers, that would be HUGE.

Check out the book (and soon to be movie) Fast Food Nation.

[depakid]

1. Note to PETA bashers

While you and I may not agree with many of their tactics or their antics, they do keep animal cruelty issues "in the light," and that sometimes results in positive change.

"The changes were made after discussions with the Humane Society and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, known as PETA.

PETA, in particular, has started a series of high-profile campaigns to pressure fast-food companies to change their animal welfare practices, including a “Murder King” campaign that ended in 2001 when Burger King agreed to improve its animal welfare standards to include, among other things, periodic animal welfare audits.

Since that time, PETA officials said they had met periodically with Burger King officials to encourage them to adopt tougher standards. About a year ago, the Humane Society began its own efforts to encourage Burger King to improve its farm animal standards.

[Alexander]

3. PETA does bring some good changes, but these are overshadowed by their tactics.

They have also picked some really silly battles, like demanding a town change a street sign from "Rodeo Drive" (pronounced ro-day-o, not ro-dee-o) to something else. Is that really going to save the life of a single animal?

I like the idea of PETA, much like I like the idea of MADD, however both are organizations that often shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to achieving their goals.

I don't eat meat, and morality is one of the reasons, however PETA more often than not makes it easier for others more likely to be hostile towards people like me and less likely to consider adopting vegetarianism as a way of life.

[thecrow]

2. Wow two percent of its eggs and ten percent of its pork.

I don't see this as a dynamic change in policy. They may be doing this already.

Meanwhile, the Burger King in our town just closed.

[Alexander]

7. Agreed

This does hardly anything. I suspect if the executives of the company did without that third Lexus in the driveway, BK could pay for a complete overhaul.

[Der Blaue Engel]

4. I agree with your comment and also give them kudos

It's a step.

(After reading FFN I couldn't set foot in a fast-food restaurant again, and gave up most beef.)

[Zenlitened]

5. Burger King uses animals in their food? I had no idea.

:shrug:

[ThomCat]

6. It's a good, small step in the right direction

until more people start demanding healthier, vegetarian/vegan food.

Come on people, give it a try. :)

[Zhade]

14. Let's just cut to the heart of the matter - humanity will likely never become solely veggie.

So reducing cruelty is probably the best you'll get. And that's a worthy goal.

[ThomCat]

15. I think you're right that humanity will probably

never be entirely veggie, but significantly veggie would be a very good thing. Majority veggie would be even better.

[The Stranger]

8. Go PETA.

Fight the good fight.

Keep keepin' on.

[InvisibleTouch]

9. It's a start, at least! n/t

[kestrel91316]

10. What's the chicken meat QUALITY gonna look like when you gas all

the birds and they pile up and their blood clots before you can slit their throats to drain it out??? ICK.

Burger King was always bad food. Now it's gonna be even worse.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. People are animals too...

I hope they'll keep that in mind, and consider paying their employees a living wage.

[Strathos]

12. I buy "cage free" and grain fed eggs 100% of the time

I don't approve of some of the tactics that PETA uses and I don't think being strictly vegetarian is healthy.

[Omaha Steve]

13. Marta and I do too

Cage free and vegetarian fed for us too.

[Sapere aude]

16. Does it matter much to people where there poison comes from?

[nodehopper]

17. from what I understand cage free does not equal humane

in the least. neither does free range/free roaming. the only label that is somewhat meaningful is "free farmed" or "pasture-fed"

[druidity33]

18. good step...

Now if only they'd stop cutting down the rainforests to feed the cattle...

[GETPLANING]

19. I watched "Fast Food Nation" tonight

I will probably never eat another hamburger as long as I live.