The Eastern most in quality; the Western most in litigation
Before you pack away another one of those Dodger Dogs, consider the moral ramifications.
Something called the Animal Legal Defense Fund has sent a letter to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, urging him to stop selling the Farmer John brand of meat by-products because of shabby treatment they say is happening to the pigs who give up their lives for our pleasure.
ALDF sent out a press release to the media Monday (although it has yet to post it on its website) along with a link to a story it has about a lawsuit filed against a company called Corcpork, Inc., and a copy of the letter it sent to McCourt this morning that reads:
Dear Mr. McCourt:
Dodger fans have a lot to be proud of in the recent renovations and upgrades at Dodger Stadium. Most would be shocked to learn, however, that the mustard-crowned Dodger Dog-the stadium's top-selling concession-is a
frankfurter with a shameful secret.
Farmer John, the meat brand behind the stadium's famous foodstuff, is also a defendant in a lawsuit filed by several California residents and the national non-profit Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF). The lawsuit
seeks to end the cruel confinement of pregnant and nursing mother pigs, whose babies are destined to become Farmer John franks. The plaintiffs claim this practice is in clear violation of California anti-cruelty laws. On
behalf of ALDF's more than one hundred thousand members and supporters, more than 19,000 of whom reside in Los Angeles, we are asking the Dodgers to cut all ties with Farmer John and their illegally-produced pork products.
ALDF's lawsuit calls out California's largest industrial pig-farming operation, Corcpork, Inc.-which is linked to Farmer John brand pork products-for confining thousands of female pigs in "gestation crates" so tiny that they cannot turn around or even scratch. The lawsuit also names Farmer John for misleading the public about the treatment of their
pigs and the cruelty included in every bite. Notably, North America's top pork producers Smithfield Foods and Maple Leaf Foods have recently announced plans to phase out the use of gestation crates, and McDonald's and
Burger King are taking very public steps to increase their purchases from providers who do not keep their animals in such intensive confinement. Meanwhile, Corcpork refuses to join its competitors and raise its animals more
humanely, while the producers of Farmer John products hide the truth by claiming they are made in "a family tradition."
Dodger Stadium has been lauded for its concessions offerings, and we're delighted to note selections like hummus wraps and even veggie dogs are available for health-conscious baseball fans. As more and more consumers
demand higher welfare standards for the animals raised for their food, please ensure that the Los Angeles Dodgers avoid the stigma of being associated with Farmer John and its cruelly-produced pork products.
Sincerely,
Stephen Wells, Executive Director
UPDATE:
Dodgers spokesperson Camille Johnston said Tuesday: "Farmer John has assured us that they are meeting all of the standards for animal welfare."
In Dec. 2004, Vernon-based CloughertyPacking Co., which owned Farmer John, was sold to Hormel Foods Corp., makers of, among other things, Spam.
More links:
To our story on the death of Arthur Smith, the creator of the Dodger Dog, in June, 2006.
To our story on how someone wants you to slap some avocado on your next Dodger Dog in Sept., 2006
And to our story about the all-you-can-eat Dodger Stadium right-field pavilion experiment that started in Aug., 2006