Coffee-making guru Starbucks is kicking off the new year with newly updated animal-friendly welfare practices.
The restaurant chain is most well known for its caffeinated beverages, but an array of pastries, breads and sandwiches are also available to customers. Boasting environmentally sound practices to harvest ingredients for its coffee drinks, the company has taken the same approach for food.
Back in 2009, Starbucks released a statement that explained its desire for its food, just like its coffee, to be produced under the highest quality production and ethical standards. After consultation with its employees, customers and key organizations, and through industry engagement, it updated its corporate animal welfare policy in late 2014.
Most specific to the dairy industry is its backing of the responsible use of antibiotics to support animal health, along with addressing concerns related to dehorning, tail docking and castration. Also on its list of priorities is eliminating the use of artificial growth hormones and fast-growing practices for poultry, and phasing out gestation crates for pigs and cages for chickens.
These guidelines have received approval from the Humane Society of the United States, who worked with Starbucks to create them.
Purchasing products from only suppliers that abide by these standards will be no easy feat, and the change won't happen overnight. For instance, only about 10 percent of egg production in the U.S. at this time is cage-free, limiting purchasing options. The company acknowledges these challenges and has said to be working with the industry to create reasonable time frames.
Starbucks is not going to instantly transform all agriculture production practices with its new requirements; but, with 12,000 locations across the U.S. and more than 20,000 worldwide, it does carry a strong voice and ambitious goals into the new year.
(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2015
January 5, 2015
