Second Memo, Detailing McDonald's Meeting

To: Bob Langert, McDonald's Corporation
From: Dr. Steven Jay Gross, for PETA
Date: April 5, 1999
Re: Conversation of March 23, 1999

3 pages via fax: 630-623-7488

This memorandum addresses my understanding of the conversation among Bob Langert, Dr. Temple Grandin, and me, on March 23, 1999.

Bob indicated that McDonald's major commitment to animal welfare is to implement an objective measurement system to guarantee that a variety of animal welfare standards are consistently met by McDonald's suppliers. Temple noted that the measurement system would initially focus on slaughterhouse processes. Specifically, Temple expressed her belief that six animal welfare variables would be monitored, three of which are very critical and three of which are less critical.

1) Animals should be stunned properly. Temple noted that she perceives a 3 percent failure rate as good, though the better slaughterhouses achieve closer to 1 percent. PETA's concern is that if 330 animals are being killed per hour, this translates into more than 75 animals each day that are not stunned properly and endure extreme suffering. Looked at another way, this represents more than 1 million cows, 3 million pigs, 9 million turkeys, or 240 million chickens, inappropriately slaughtered each year; 2) Animals should be insensible to pain on the bleed rail; 3) Animals should not be vocalizing at any point in the process; 4) Animals should be minimally prodded electrically; 5) Animals should not slip or fall at any point in the process; 6) "Downer" animals should not be dragged or struck in sensitive areas of their bodies.

Temple noted that there will be periodic measures of the above factors but recommended that the plant measure these variables more regularly. I questioned how McDonald's conducted these audits. Temple noted that audits were announced and stated that she believes bad plants are bad and can't quickly clean things up. I raised the idea of allowing an animal advocacy expert to join the audit team. [Bob, please investigate the possibility of PETA's having an expert join Temple and of allowing PETA the option to be part of your audit team.]

Temple noted that the procedures for hogs and chickens were comparable to those just outlined, with the addition for chickens of looking at bruises and broken wings.

Temple said that she had inspected six facilities in Texas and that five were good and one was bad. I asked what the process was to deal with the bad plant. Bob noted that McDonald's works with the plant to improve processes. Bob also noted that he was not sure what would happen to this bad plant. [Bob, can we find out?] Obviously, recommendations and policies are most effective when there are sanctions imposed for violations.]

Bob said that he believes McDonald's is a leader in the fast-food industry in terms of addressing animal welfare issues. Given McDonald's desire to be a leader in animal welfare for its industry, I asked that McDonald's commit in writing to what it will do and how it will be monitored and enforced.

I suggested that McDonald's publicly commit to specific procedures such as: 1) measuring the slaughterhouse processes discussed by Temple for cattle, hogs, and chickens; 2) offering incentives to decrease the frequency of broken wings and other injuries to chickens when being caged for transport (I asked what research Temple found that supported the incentive program. Temple noted that there were no studies but said that she was certain they work); and 3) supporting the Downed Animal Act, which prohibits slaughterhouses from accepting downed animals. I noted that some of McDonald's suppliers have indicated support for the Downed Animal Act and suggested that it would be a sign of leadership for McDonald's to write a letter of support for such federal legislation. Bob stated that McDonald's likes to do more than write what they do. I indicated that in order for PETA to know that McDonald's is working in good faith, PETA needs an objective means of corroborating what McDonald's is telling us. I noted that it is important that we build trust by demonstrating that we both mean what we say and that we are willing to allow the other side to objectively verify our statements.

Bob indicated that McDonald's has a training video that will help suppliers measure the effectiveness of their slaughterhouse process. I asked if PETA could please get a copy of the video as well as training materials on audits.

Bob agreed to get back to me by the first week in April with: 1) a response as to how and when McDonald's would publicly commit to its animal welfare program, and 2) whether PETA could get a copy of the video and the audit training materials.

I indicated that PETA needs to verify that the audits are in place and that they are reducing animal suffering and cruelty. I noted that if McDonald's is the leader in its industry in reducing animal suffering and cruelty, PETA would consider publicly acknowledging McDonald's leadership. To do so, PETA would need to verify that McDonald's is following through on its animal welfare program.

I noted that the issue of battery cages needs to be addressed. Temple and I discussed the research of Dawkins, and Jensen & Toates. I suggested that battery cages need to be examined as a category one. Temple noted that research needed to be done to better assess the issue of battery cages.

Bob noted that he had read Karen Davis' book Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs. Temple and I discussed Gail Eisnitz's book, Slaughterhouse. Temple remarked that the incidents were true but dated. She added that stunning is still a major issue in the cattle industry but that most slaughterhouses have improved over the past 5 to 10 years.

Bob, in addition to the issues raised with respect to slaughterhouse procedures, PETA would like to know how McDonald's is addressing the following issues, which first came to light as problems for McDonald's at the "McLibel" trial in the summer of 1997, and which we mentioned in our first memo: 1) The air quality in chicken and hog facilities is hard on both animals and workers. Chicken houses need to be better ventilated and less densely packed with birds; 2) Battery cages are too densely packed and deny chickens their every natural instinct. Improvements could involve abandoning battery systems, packing the animals less densely, offering them nesting boxes and perches, and eliminating forced molting by McDonald's suppliers. Please let me know how McDonald's is addressing the above issues.

We look forward to progress on the reduction of suffering for the animals.

In closing, Bob, I read an article the other day (I'd be happy to fax it) saying that 20 percent of college students are vegetarians. One of PETA's speakers was a Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Va., where he discovered that they offer a vegan entr?e at every meal (they also have, in addition to the vegan entr?e, veggie burgers at lunch every day). Baseball parks across the country are serving these things. Heck, even Michael Eisner is pushing his vegetarian ethics in both his amusement parks and his recent autobiography. PETA is ready to give McDonald's a two-page promotional spread in its member magazine, which goes to more than 600,000 people, if you test-market a veggie burger nationwide. Please consider our offer.

cc: Dr. Temple Grandin