HP Hood Calls On Suppliers to End Cow Mutilations

After Talks With PETA, Leading Dairy Producer Considers Suppliers That Breed Naturally Hornless Cows

For Immediate Release:
January 19, 2016

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Following talks with PETA, leading dairy producer HP Hood has amended its animal-welfare policy in support of polled, or naturally hornless, cattle. This decision is the first step toward eliminating dehorning—the painful process of burning or gouging the horn tissue out of animals’ heads—from the company’s supply chain. HP Hood currently operates 15 manufacturing plants.

In its newly updated animal-welfare policy, the company writes, “Some of the specific practices we have actively supported are the elimination of tail docking as a practice on the farm and dehorning through the use of polled breeding. … [W]e are committed to working with our industry partners to assure continued progress of polled breeding in the future.”

“Though the best way to help cows on dairy farms is to stop drinking milk and choose tasty dairy-free options instead, we work to reduce animal suffering wherever we can,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “HP Hood’s push to end dehorning among its suppliers is the first step toward sparing many young cows this agonizing pain.”

Other food companies that have recently addressed dehorning include General Mills, Denny’s, Dannon, Aramark, Kroger, Nestlé, and Dunkin’ Brands (which owns Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins). Since PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—began working behind the scenes with companies on this issue four years ago, the number of polled Holstein bulls in the U.S. has increased tenfold.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.