March 30, 2007

　      The good news is that Burger King will treat animals more humanely. The bad news is that Burger King has refused to join Yum Foods (Taco Bell) in agreeing to pay one penny per pound more for tomatoes from Florida grown with the Assistance of the Coalition of Immokalee (FL) Workers. About 2 years ago Taco Bell agreed to the one cent increase, which essentially doubled the income that very underprivileged farm-workers could make working twelve-hour days.

     On February 5th of this year, Burger King refused to support that program. The farm workers had not had a raise from the growers for decades. Readers of the Times do not need to be told how abysmal conditions are for farm workers, generally.

    It is nice to know that Burger King sees more value in changing conditions for animals.