Domino’s Pizza Rejects HSUS Resolution

“Domino’s Pizza shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a request to study ending the use of pork from suppliers who confine pregnant pigs in crates. Some fast-food companies, including Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's, have pledged to phase out the use of pork from such suppliers,” according to an report.

The HSUS-endorsed resolution failed in a vote by 80%, with 4% in favor and the remaining 16% abstaining from the vote. To read the complete article, click here.  

Domino’s spokesman Tim McIntyre says the resolution called for the company to prepare a report on the feasibility of ensuring that its pepperoni and ham come from producers that don’t use “gestation crates” to confine breeding pigs.

The company believes policy should be set based on recommendations by animal agriculture experts, not animal rights activists. However, HSUS is pleased with the vote and says that despite the low percentage in favor, they will reintroduce the resolution next year.

Despite the resolution’s failure, HSUS “was happy with the vote,” says Matthew Prescott, food policy director for the organization. “Garnering 4% of the vote in favor of the resolution means the organization can bring it back again next year. By next year Domino’s management will be hard-pressed to continue to ignore this.”

Meanwhile, Burger King joined McDonald’s and Wendy’s in pledging to stop using pork from producers who use the crates. HSUS commonly buys stock in retail companies, Domino’s included, in order to push its agenda at shareholder meetings.

According to Domino’s, pork suppliers for the company’s pepperoni and sausage use animals from farms “that use a variety of animal management systems, including from farms that do not use gestation stalls.”

Domino’s also says, “the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians have published statements indicating there are advantages and disadvantages to both cage-free and caged pork production methods.”

“We rely on animal experts to determine what is the best way to raise an animal that’s being used for food,” McIntyre says.

Cheers to Domino’s Pizza for standing up to HSUS and not being bullied into pushing forward costly regulations on U.S. pork producers. It’s refreshing to see commercial businesses that look at the issue critically rather than giving into emotional, non science-based pressure. I think McIntyre says it best when he reassures the public that company policy will be developed based on sound science and testimonies from pork producers, not lobbyists. Despite this small victory, we can bet HSUS isn’t going to let up and will continue to target farmers and ranchers by imposing regulations through retail policies, legislation, ballot initiatives and litigation.

For more information on the deceptions of HSUS, click here.

Dial up Domino’s Pizza, thank them for their support of animal agriculture, and give them your business. Support those who support us. I’ll take a pizza, with extra sausage and pepperoni, please!

Don’t forget to send your ground beef recipe submissions to me at [email protected] to be entered to win a gift certificate, courtesy of Roper Apparel! My mouth is watering over the reader submissions that have been sent in so far! For complete contest details, click here.