Current Issues

Fast Food Chains set Animal Welfare Standards - Position Paper

Background:

Three major fast food chains in the US (McDonalds www.mcdonalds.com, Burger King www.burgerking.com and Wendy’s www.wendys.com) have stated that animal care is an integral part of their overall quality assurance programs.

The companies have formed scientific-based advisory councils to develop protocols and objective, measurable animal welfare audits for suppliers. The audits are announced and unannounced.

Suppliers that fail to meet the strict guidelines for housing, handling, transporting and humane stunning and death are terminated as approved suppliers.

The Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, Canada Safeway and industry reps met to discuss the US marketplace demands for animal welfare verification/audits and PETA's anti-Safeway campaign in Canada. They prepared a discussion paper - Animal Welfare Verification in Canada - stating the current situation and recommendations for action.

Other Details:

1. The food industry is recognizing that consumers want assurance the food they eat comes from animals that are humanely raised.
2. All three food companies have insisted on increased cage space per bird for laying hens to a minimum of 72 square inches per bird for McDonalds and Wendy’s and 75 square inches per bird for Burger King. This will be a substantial change for American suppliers, where the average is at 48 square inches per bird. Also, beak trimming is “discouraged”.
3. Excessive branding and improper dehorning is not tolerated.
4. The McDonald’s audits have caused a significant improvement in the handling and stunning performance in US federal abattoirs (see www.grandin.com).
5. One company is funding animal welfare research into alternative sow housing systems.
6. "We in the academic community can lecture about these things for 15 years, but it takes one news release from McDonald’s to bring the (animal welfare) issue to the forefront." Dr. Janice Swanson, Kansas State University, Jun/01.
7. Credible, measurable third party audit systems are in place in the US.
8. Only Burger King has indicated its guidelines apply to Canadian suppliers as well.

AFAC Position:

• AFAC strongly encourages the continuous improvement of animal welfare, as the science is available to guide the industry forward.
• The majority of the standards of humane livestock treatment expected by these food companies are met or exceeded in Canada’s Recommended Code of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals.
• AFAC promotes that responsible animal care is integral to future growth of sustainable agriculture. It is intertwined with food safety, the environment and economics.
• The livestock industry in Alberta will not tolerate any inhumane treatment and supports the laws in place for animal protection and humane death.
• AFAC is most willing to work with the food industry in Canada to ensure consumers the food they eat comes from animals that are humanely raised.
• AFAC encourages the development of a unified/standardized audit system in place of the three separate fast food chain systems that exist now.