The Humane Society of the United States sent a letter last week to CEOs of major broiler processing companies, saying the organization’s focus is “likely to shift toward broiler welfare issues.” Meatingplace reports a letter from HSUS senior director of food policy Josh Balk said many issues HSUS focused on recently have been “largely put to rest,” including confinement issues related to pigs and laying hens. In the letter, HSUS says “it’s always been our preference to work collaboratively with industry,” in hopes of engaging talks with broiler processing companies. HSUS claims the biggest welfare issues with poultry production include moving toward healthier strains of chickens, providing more space per bird, offering enrichments and shifting to controlled-atmosphere slaughter methods. Several poultry processors contacted by Meatingplace said they were unaware of the letter.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.