A Pizza Party for Agriculture

A Pizza Party for Agriculture

Posted on 17 May 2012 by Gary Truitt

 

A grassroots movement of farmers from across the country is asking other farmers to buy a pizza from Domino’s this weekend.  Several weeks ago HSUS tried to pressure Domino’s Pizza into only buying pork from producers who did not use gestation crates. While this effort has recently been successful with several fast food chains, it did not work with Domino’s. According to the digital media company annarbor.com, 80 percent of Domino’s shareholders rejected the resolution and only 4 percent voted for it. In its proxy report, the Domino’s board recommended voting against the proposal, saying, “We rely on established industry experts and the USDA to determine best practices in this area, and will continue to do so.”

A farmer in Missouri, Chris Chinn wanted to thank Domino’s for trusting farmers to do a good job and suggested in an on-line blog that farmers should buy some pizza from Domino’s. Mike Haley, a grain and livestock farmer in Ohio who is active in social media, told HAT bloggers around the country picked up on the idea, “The blog ‘Truth About Agriculture’ picked up the idea and created an event on facebook for this weekend that suggested that farmers should buy pizzas From Domino’s this weekend.”  At this writing, over 2,000 people have pledged to buy a pizza from Domino’s this weekend.

In the past, grassroots efforts such as this have been negative, with farmers boycotting companies that side with radical animal rights organizations.  The campaign against Yellow Tail wine which donated funds to HSUS generated so much bad publicity that the company eventually changed their position.  Haley says that, this time, it is a more positive message, “My dollars speak when I buy something, so I think it is important to speak up and support Domino’s in a positive way.”

Susan Crowell, writing in Farm and Dairy newspaper, said, “They (HSUS) are smart. They know how to influence corporations and whip up publicity, all in the name of animal welfare, when all they really want to do to end meat production, period. Agriculture needs to remain vigilant and tell its story in all arenas, too. We need to take some pages from the HSUS playbook.”

A preprinted thank you note, created by agvocate Kelly Rivard, is available for farmers to print and present to their local Domino’s when ordering a pizza this weekend.   Social media ag activists are being urged to spread the word about the event by posting the link on facebook and twitter. HSUS bought stock in Domino’s in 2010 and has vowed to bring the issue back before Domino’s stockholders next year.

Click Play To Listen: 

Get the Details

Say thanks when you buy your Domino’s pizza:

Print out this .pdf

created by agvocate Kelly Rivard, sign it and add your own comments for the store manager or owner, when you pick up your order.