Humane Society takes Hormel to task

Here's some a piece I have in today's paper about the U.S. Humane Society trying to take a bite of  Austin's Hormel Foods for its treatment of sows.

Here's a link to the full piece.

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The Humane Society of the United States is calling Hormel Foods' treatment of pigs into question using a shareholder resolution. The humane society owns about $3,000 worth of shares in the Austin food-processing company.

The humane society is asking for disclosure of how many of the company's breeding pigs are confined in gestation.

"Hormel appears to be behind the times on this issue, and shareholders deserve to understand what the company is — or isn’t — doing to correct its support for this unnecessary and extreme cruelty," said Josh Balk, director of corporate policy for the humane society's farm animal protection division.

The humane society made its request Wednesday in a shareholder resolution. Hormel responded with a limited statement. It  did not respond to requests for specific information about its use of gestational crates.

"On a regular basis, Hormel Foods studies the best industry practices for sow housing, which includes consulting with noted experts within the field of animal care," stated Julie H. Craven of Hormel Foods in an email.

Gestation crates are metal cages that critics say are not large enough for an animal to turn around in. The humane society says the crates "virtually immobilize breeding sows for most of their lives."

Proponents of the practice say it keeps the animals from attacking each other and prevents injuries.

The humane society estimates that 70 percent of breeding sows in the U.S. are housed in gestation cages, but the campaign against the practice has heated in during the past 10 years. Eight states have passed laws to phase out the use of the cages. The issue has not come up at the Minnesota Legislature.

In 2012, Arizona's Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act takes effect. It will affect Hormel directly. Hormel-owned Clougherty Packing has a large facility in Arizona, which raised about 250,000 animals a year in 2007.

Craven said the company will eliminate gestation crates in Arizona next year. In her emailed statement, she said that that change "will give us a first-hand opportunity to learn more about this sow housing option.

"We will then evaluate and consider implementing group sow housing at other company-owned farm operations."