020536 Safeway Changes Meat Rules After PETA Tape

Undercover video shot by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals persuaded Safeway to adopt groundbreaking new animal welfare regulations.

The tape was made inside the Oklahoma slaughterhouse of Safeway's largest pork supplier, Seaboard Farms. After seeing it, Safeway agreed to PETA's demands for unannounced inspections of Seaboard, and the adoption of new food industry guidelines for the humane treatment of farmed animals.

"I think we will give PETA some credit for alerting us to some issues as related to some suppliers," said Safeway Vice President Brian Dowling. "It's important to us, and we think they're doing a good job."

Thursday, a protest against Safeway by PETA and the Food and Social Justice Project suddenly shifted to a "thank you" celebration.

"Our 'Shameway' cheerleaders here became our victory cheerleaders, holding signs that say 'thank you,'" said animal activist Alka Chandna.

The demonstrators greeted Safeway shareholders arriving for the company's annual meeting in San Ramon. The animal activists got what they wanted, but still not everyone is happy. Safeway is also being targeted for selling genetically-engineered food.

"Consequences are really unknown," said Heather Whitehead of Greenpeace. "They're taking foreign genes from bacteria, viruses, animals, even some of the research from humans, and inserting them into our common food crops."

For now, Safeway says that's an issue for federal regulators.

"What we've said to Greenpeace is if they've got a concern with bio-engineered food, they ought to go to the FDA," Dowling said.

The new industry guidelines for the treatment of animals are due to be released this summer. Meantime, Safeway says its Seaboard Farms pork supplier has stopped the abuses shown in the PETA tape.

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com