The Virginian-Pilot
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PETA said today that it has submitted a shareholder resolution to Smithfield Foods Inc. demanding a timetable for the phaseout of “gestation crates” for pregnant sows.
In 2007, Smithfield announced that it would replace the gestation stalls with group housing over the next decade. PETA cheered the move, saying the gestation crates lead to higher rates of mortality and greater likelihood of disease and depression.
But the shareholder resolution, released today by PETA, complains that the company “has neither disclosed its timeline for making the transition nor publicly committed to requiring its dedicated contract facilities to become crate-free.”
In a statement, Bruce Friedrich, a vice president of PETA, said, “Pregnant sows suffer every minute of every day that they’re confined to these cruel enclosures, so we’re calling on Smithfield to begin phasing them out without further delay.”
PETA said it owns 478 shares of Smithfield stock.
Smithfield spokeswoman Keira Ullrich said in an e-mail: “We have not received the shareholder resolution and have no comment.”
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Hypocrite, or smart like a fox?
First, let me state for the record that I am not a PETA supporter. Secondly, for those of you who can't see the forest for the trees on PETA's ownership of Smithfield stock, think a moment about your comments that PETA is a bunch of hypocrites. They are using their ownership in Smithfield against them-- sponsoring a shareholder resolution to stop the cruelty-- and this can only be accomplished from the the inside. I say PETA is smarter than I have ever given them credit for. Pictures, and documentary, of chronic, unchecked, and disgusting abuse of female breeding pigs that animal rights activists like PETA are bringing to our attention, by Smithfield and their contract farms, is heinous and needs reform now, not "company line" rhetoric.
Ownership
The way to question a business practice at corporate stockholder meetings is to be a stockholder of record and ask to speak. PETA representatives exercised that right to speak as an owner in an orderly fashion. Are the concepts of free speech and public ownership of companies in a free market really that troublesome to some readers?
Sounds reasonable to me
All PETA is asking for is that Smithfield be upfront about its timeline for getting rid of these crates. That doesn't seem like an unreasonable request. Gestation crates have already been banned in Florida and California--it's in Smithfield's best interest to get busy phasing them out before they are banned in VA and NC, too.
Smithfield-PETA
What a bunch of interferring hypocrites... peta can go buy their own breeding cages and leave legitimate companies alone!
Laughable
We want what you promised in 10 years, yesterday. What a bunch of bozos. AND Hypocrites - owning stock in a company that makes money of the tasty animals. Probably have stock in McDonalds, Burger King, Hardees , Hormel Wilson meats etc.
More Free Lopsided Press for PETA
The pilot readers are leaving and this 'free advertising' for PETA is one reason we are. In 2007 Smithfield said in 10 years the cage will have been phased out, meanwhile, due to the economy Smithfield as an industry is being phased out, but not before PETA can exploit their stand against a situation Smithfield did say they will resolve. If PETA were really serious about this issue and other cruelty issues they need to go to china and enlighten them to change their ways before they ship thier live stock abroad. Once China does it then the entire world will see the light and follow China's example and PETA will then have proven their earnest interest to care for the animals globaly, but until then, stop exploiting and harrassing earnest american enterprises.
WOW
So PETA owns stock in Smithfiled. They reap the benefits of dividends for People Eating Tasty Animals.
Depressed Cows
I sure don't want to eat a cow that was depressed before being slaughterd for food. Happy cows taste much better!