Harris Teeter Surpasses National Rivals With New Animal Welfare Plan

[admin]

PETA Praises Company for Improving Conditions for Farmed Animals, Cancels Plans to Speak at Annual Meeting

Charlotte, N.C. — Following discussions with PETA, Harris Teeter—a subsidiary of Charlotte-based Ruddick Corporation, which has nearly 200 stores in seven states—has announced groundbreaking plans to improve conditions for some of the animals who are killed for its stores. According to the company's new plan, which places it at the forefront of the grocery industry regarding animal welfare, Harris Teeter will do the following:

· Give purchasing preference to suppliers that use or switch to controlled-atmosphere systems—the least-cruel method of bird slaughter, begin purchasing 2 percent of its turkeys by the fall of 2008 from suppliers that use this method, and increase its purchase of chickens killed by controlled-atmosphere slaughter systems by 5 percent over each of the next three years (for a total of 26 percent).
· Give purchasing preference to suppliers that are phasing out gestation crates—restrictive metal enclosures that confine pregnant pigs—and increasing the amount of pig meat that it purchases from suppliers that are phasing out gestation crates by 10 percent in 2009, 15 percent in 2010, and 20 percent in 2011.
· Introduce a new line of Harris Teeter-branded cage-free eggs, give purchasing preference to producers of cage-free eggs, increase the amount of cage-free eggs that it sells from 6 percent to 9 percent by 2009, and work toward increasing that amount to 12 percent in 2010.

Harris Teeter's new plan was announced today following a press release issued this morning by PETA, which stated that a representative from the animal rights organization would appeal to shareholders at the company's annual meeting tomorrow over its lack of movement on animal welfare.

"We wish that shoppers would stick to the great vegetarian options offered by Harris Teeter, but the company should be commended for improving the living and dying conditions for some of the animals who are killed for its stores," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk.

For more information, please visit PETA's Web site www.GoVeg.com (http://www.GoVeg.com). Harris Teeter's letter to PETA detailing its new plan is available upon request.

#

[JenniferA]

From: Jennifer Adams - PETA / People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organization
Feb 26, 2008

Subject: Update on PETA Shareholder Resolutions - Research Report

Something major just occurred in the grocery industry that we are bringing to greater attention -- Safeway, North America's third-largest grocery chain, has announced groundbreaking plans to improve conditions for the animals killed for its stores. In addition to being an ethical move, this is also a smart business move for Safeway. According to a survey by food-industry consultant Technomic, animal welfare is the third most important social issue to Americans when making food purchases.

Safeway's new plan follows PETA's submission of a shareholder resolution-which has now been withdrawn-and negotiations with the company. As part of its new plan, Safeway will increase its purchases of chickens and turkeys killed by controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK)- the least cruel method of bird slaughter-and give purchasing preference to suppliers that use or switch to CAK. (See the research report linked at bottom of this article on Accountability Central Here) (http://www.accountability-central.com/single-view-default/article/harris-teeter-surpasses-national-rivals-with-new-animal-welfare-plan/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=c7d94b6b70)

Safeway's direct competitors -- Kroger and Supervalu -- have not taken any of the steps that Safeway has. Both companies only purchase poultry from suppliers that use a cruel and inefficient method of slaughter called electric immobilization, in which the birds are paralyzed with an electric current, have their throats slit while they are still conscious, and are dropped into tanks of scalding-hot water-often while they are still conscious. Kroger and Supervalu have not made any efforts to encourage their suppliers to adopt CAK.

I've attached a report that I think you'll find interesting (See the research report linked at bottom of this article on Accountability Central Here) (http://www.accountability-central.com/single-view-default/article/harris-teeter-surpasses-national-rivals-with-new-animal-welfare-plan/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=c7d94b6b70)It compares electric immobilization to CAK from animal welfare and economic standpoints. Some highlights of the report include the
following:


* Irrefutable, documented evidence that electric immobilization
causes high levels of carcass contamination, reduces product yield, and causes unsanitary and unsafe working conditions

* Conclusive scientific evidence that electric immobilization
causes vast animal welfare problems, including broken bones, bruising, painful electric shocks, live throat-slitting, and live scalding

* Overwhelming data and quotes from world-renowned animal
scientists and slaughterhouse experts-as well as poultry producers that have switched to CAK-attesting to the fact that CAK eliminates many of the animal welfare and economic problems associated with electric immobilization

* Solid return-on-investment and cost-benefit analyses

Of course, PETA is interested in CAK because of its animal welfare benefits. However, because of the economic benefits that it also yields, we believe that you'll be equally as interested in it. In fact, the few companies in North America that have switched to CAK from electric immobilization are already reaping great benefits and, as you'll see in the report, have been praised by poultry industry publications for their innovation and improvements. Various food retailers and restaurant chains are also taking notice of CAK, including the following:

* In addition to Safeway, restaurant chains Burger King,
Wendy's, Carl's Jr., Hardee's, and Popeye's now give purchasing preference or consideration to suppliers that use or switch to CAK.

* McDonald's produced a detailed report on CAK and found that
its suppliers that use CAK have experienced improvements in bird handling, stunning efficiency, working conditions, and meat yield and quality.

* A ConAgra Foods vice president said that CAK might be "the
most humane form of poultry slaughter available and also improves product quality and yield when compared to conventional methods."


You can view and download the report-and a video comparing the two slaughter methods-at WWW.PETA.org/cak (http://WWW.PETA.org/cak)

It is vital that [we] encourage both Kroger and Supervalu to advance their financial interests and enhance their brand image and follow Safeway's lead by giving purchasing preference to suppliers that use or switch to CAK.

By: Jennifer L. Adams
Special Projects Coordinator
PETA Corporate Affairs
JenniferA@peta.org
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622-7382, ext. 8734
757-622-0457 (fax)

[JoshuaSBK]

Corporate responsibility is fast becoming a marketable trend. There are many businesses today incorporating programs of ethics. There are even a few institutions who have declared a social mission as part of their bottom line. ShoreBank (http://www.sbk.com), whom I represent, is one of those leading the way by adhering to a triple bottom line of sustainability, profit and community development. That means they focus their outreach and financing towards areas and organizations that are changing our world. They recently helped a green waste management company, Rosby Resource Recovery, invest in state-of-the-art equipment for composting and recycling. Where other lending institutions backed off financing this company, ShoreBank saw the potential and understood the benefit of their innovative vision. Click here (http://www.shorebankdirect.sbk.com/stories/rosby.asp) if you want to learn more about investing with a bank dedicated to creating a better world.

People. Planet. Profit. That's the ShoreBank mission.