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Thread: Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

  1. #1
    EyesWideOpen monkey60613's Avatar
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    Default Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

    My local news station reported today that Whole Foods is working on an Animal Compassion Program. I have mixed feelings about this. What do you think?

    On one hand, I applaud them for promoting humane treatment, but on the other, it's just going to give people more peace of mind to keep eating meat. It all looks good on paper but getting the farms they use to actually follow the directives sounds like a lofty goal. Below is a statement about the program from Whole Foods' website http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/prod...standards.html

    Animal Compassionate Program

    We are currently developing our next generation of Whole Foods Market meat standards, our species-specific Animal Compassionate Standards, which require environments and conditions that support the animal's physical, emotional, and behavioral needs to an even higher level. Producers who successfully meet these additional Standards will be able to label their products with the special "Animal Compassionate" designation. Although no producers have met these standards yet, many are exploring the opportunity.
    Whole Foods Market created the non-profit Animal Compassion Foundation as a natural progression of our efforts to help producers evolve their practices for raising farm animals naturally and humanely. Though related, and similarly named, the Animal Compassionate Standards are not created or maintained by the Animal Compassion Foundation. The Foundation is a separate and independent non-profit educational organization created to provide producers and researchers with the opportunity to learn, share ideas, and collaborate on projects.


    Species Specific Standards in Detail for Both Programs

    As we go through the process of developing our Animal Compassionate Standards, we are also writing more detailed descriptions of the Whole Foods Market Natural Meat Quality Standards for each species reviewed. This more detailed version of the standards, including both Whole Foods Market Natural Standards and Animal Compassionate Standards, will be added here as they are developed.
    (Animal Compassionate Standards for other meat species, laying hens and dairy animals are under development)
    "Destiny, or karma, depends upon what the soul has done about what it has become aware of."
    --
    Edgar Cayce

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    Default Re: Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

    In a world of black and white, this would not be acceptable. But since the reality is usually gray, I say that this is at least a step in the right direction. Fair and humane treatment is bringing awareness that animals have at least some rights: the right to be treated humanely (even if the end is just to be a meal for somebody's taste buds. . . sigh.). Isn't Whole Foods the store that will not sell lobsters because they declared that it was inhumane to boil them alive?

  3. #3
    EyesWideOpen monkey60613's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

    Yes, they did stop selling "live" lobsters so, that is great.

    The newscast also mentioned that the cost of this "humane" meat will be double what shoppers pay now. I guess I should be happy with these steps in the right direction.

    I don't know, I'm just having one of those days where I'm down on the human race. Stuck between stages 2 and 4 of vegan 5 stages of grief http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8957

    Thanks for your response.
    "Destiny, or karma, depends upon what the soul has done about what it has become aware of."
    --
    Edgar Cayce

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    Haniska's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

    I was hoping that this was a discount card for vegans!
    it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble

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    EyesWideOpen monkey60613's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

    Quote Haniska View Post
    I was hoping that this was a discount card for vegans!

    OMG what a great idea!
    "Destiny, or karma, depends upon what the soul has done about what it has become aware of."
    --
    Edgar Cayce

  6. #6

    Default Re: Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

    well, acknolwedging and stickering is better than nothing, i suppose. i'd give them a real pat on the back if they made their Animal Compassionate Standards a REQUIREMENT in order to be sold in their store.....


    any thoughts on Whole Foods in general? personally, i shop there because it has the products i want, but i still feel like i'm giving my money to some corporate monster that probably has ties to mcdonalds or something....i don't know.

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    Default Re: Whole Foods' Animal Compassionate Program

    When Whole Foods first came here to Michigan, USA, I was really happy. It was like all vegetarian. Then all the meat cases came in, and things starting showing up in the deli case with meat in them. Ugh.

    It is a monster, but it has to be to survive in America. Little health food stores in communities across American are going out of business because they can't compete with the bigger stores. Even Costco and Sam's club (warehouse supermarkets) are now carrying organic and vegetarian/vegan stuff, and supplements. The big grocery stores are carrying the health items at lower prices. Even now Whole Foods Market stock is way down because their projected revenues weren't there this quarter and investors pulled out (I'll have to check my Wild Oats stock and see how it is doing).
    Luckily I am part of a food co-op and feel good investing in it, even though it is hard to plan for the month in advance since I only order once a month. And the food co-op company (United Foods) is now being used by Whole Foods, so we sometimes get the short end of the deal when they buy out all their food stock of something (like soy yogurt for me last month).

    I also am worried about Whole Foods if they are going through a middle management company to supply them with stock. No wonder the prices are high. It is alittle more work, but they need to go directly to the manufacture and get a good price. Although maybe they do that to get their organic 365 brand on the shelf with such a lower price than all the other products. Just wish they get more organic 365 brand products up on the shelf (organic canned beans and organic pasta was the best). I also think they should advertise more. Word of mouth is OK, but a flyer here and there would be nice (and maybe have a recycling program for the flyers, or incentives like they do for their grocery bags).

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