Humane Society Praises Safeway Policies

This is some impressive stuff. Good for Safeway.

In a letter to {Paul Shapiro, senior director of the Humane Society's factory farming campaign} dated Feb. 7, Safeway spokesman Brian Dowling said his company is attempting to increase the amount of poultry products it receives from suppliers that use controlled atmosphere stunning, considered a more-humane form of slaughter by animal welfare advocates.

Dowling said Safeway is also seeking to buy more pork products from suppliers that are phasing out use of "gestation crates" that restrict the movement of pigs, and purchase more eggs from suppliers that don't use battery cages to confine egg-laying hens.

He said the retailer now offers 12 regional and national cage-free brands of eggs for sale in its stores, including its own in-house Lucerne brand.

Safeway became the first major grocery retailer to establish a committee of employees and outside experts to look into animal welfare issues more than two years ago, Dowling said.

Safeway is receiving praise from PETA too which worked with the company on its new policies.

Photo by Paula Wirth.