It's always good to see the tough scrutiny on ensuring the humane handling of animals. People-to-animal abuse should never happen, but sometimes it does. Who would think the stories of dog fighting to be true? So we need policies, auditing, good management and people to serve as a constant check and balance system.
And we need more companies like McDonald's poultry suppliers Tyson and Keystone that are ready and willing to invest in learning more, always seeking ways to continuously improve.
Animal welfare issues are very complex. There are no simple answers. For example, McDonald's just released a report about the feasibility of using controlled atmospheric stunning (
Some advocates say that CAK (this is another term for the same technology: "controlled atmospheric killing") is the more humane than electrical stunning. Our suppliers did extensive testing, including a commercial scale test of
Back in my first days in visiting animal handling facilities, what surprised me most was the care and concern of people such as Dr. Temple Grandin who diligently and passionately worked to design and implement ways to keep animals free from suffering.
Fast forward to today. I am impressed to see the outstanding work and collaboration of Tyson and Keystone. Though I wish the studies of
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Posted By:
Elizabeth Krueger
(28/11/2009 11:14:19 AM)
Comment:
Looking at how the chickens are killed is important. How about looking at raising them in something other than crowded & inhumane conditions beforehand? Some transparency around that would stun most buyers of McNuggets in the US. McDonald's has the clout to put pressure on Tyson and others to change their practices for the better. I hope you'll do it.
Response: I appreciate your interest in animal welfare. We study all the issues carefully, monitor the science, and listen to experts. We also work collaboratively with our suppliers. I don't think "forcing" is the way do get things done for the long term. When things are forced, changes are often implemented in a shallow, non-sustainable way. Rather, we truly believe in collaborating for continuous improvement.
-Bob
Posted By:
Serene
(21/11/2009 5:38:41 AM)
Comment:
CAS or Electric stunning are not Halal ways of handeling animals. Many of McDonald's customers are Muslims and care about eating halal meat! Maybe McDonald's should consider the Halal Method! I love McDonald's but i dont eat it when i'm outside my country, or when i'm not sure if its Halal!!
Response: Thanks for your comments. Your sentiments are reflective of the complexity of this issue. I recommend taking a look at the halal food authority website: (http://www.halalfoodauthority.co.uk/define.html) where it states that a reversible stunning method is acceptable for Halal requirements. As stated in the report, low-voltage electrical stunning is in use by all McDonald's poultry suppliers and is considered reversible and therefore halal-accepted.
