KFC Canada, Butterball to change slaughter methods, PETA says

NORFOLK

PETA has announced two North American victories in its campaign to switch to more humane killings of animals.

Kentucky Fried Chicken in Canada and Butterball LLC, a U.S. turkey producer, will move toward what People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals calls "the least cruel form of poultry slaughter ever developed." Smithfield Foods Inc. has a 49 percent stake in Butterball.

Matt Prescott, the assistant director of corporate affairs for the animal rights group, called the agreement with KFC in Canada "the biggest victory for farmed animals with regard to corporate policy that's ever been had by PETA."

Under the agreement, signed with Norfolk-based PETA last month, KFC agreed to phase in over the next eight years the use of "controlled-atmosphere killing" for all of its chickens.

In that method, the chickens undergo a relatively painless death, breathing inert gases such as argon or nitrogen. That, Prescott said, is far less painful than current methods, which often involve "cutting their throats open while conscious and running them through a tank of scalding hot water."

In addition, KFC will offer a vegan alternative on its Canadian menus, starting this summer, Prescott said. "Customers of Kentucky Fried Chicken in Canada will have a completely cruelty-free option, " he said.

PETA has urged Kentucky Fried Chicken in the United States to do the same, but with no luck, he said. In a statement Monday, Kentucky Fried Chicken said, "We look forward to learning whether our Canadian franchisees' action has any positive benefit on the humane treatment of poultry."

In March, PETA submitted a shareholder resolution for Smithfield's annual meeting asking it to consider controlled-atmosphere killing for Butterball turkeys.

Smithfield asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for permission to exclude the resolution from its proxy. It argued that it did not have authority to do what PETA wanted because it did not have majority control of Butterball.

PETA disagreed with Smithfield's logic but withdrew its resolution in May.

Prescott said Monday that PETA learned from "restaurant and grocery industry sources" that Butterball planned to open a controlled-atmosphere-killing plant next year. A statement Monday from Butterball made no promise to move toward controlled-atmosphere killing, saying it would "continue to monitor research."

Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com