As we stated publicly yesterday, KFC is appalled by the actions of Pilgrim's Pride employees at this one facility in Moorefield, West Virginia. As a responsible corporate citizen, we require all our suppliers to treat animals humanely. This behavior by Pilgrim's Pride employees is not only appalling, it violates the standards we have in place for all our suppliers.

So what are we doing about it?

1. We've told Pilgrim's Pride that KFC will no longer buy product from this facility until they can assure us there are no instances of animal abuse there;
2. We've placed an inspector at this facility to monitor activity to be sure our guidelines are being followed;
3. We've asked Pilgrim's Pride to fire the employees found to be responsible;
4. We've asked Pilgrim's Pride to place security cameras in this moorefield facility to ensure that this behavior is not repeated again;
5. We've sent a letter to all suppliers to make sure they continue to follow the industry's animal welfare guidelines, and strictly enforce them; and

So why did PETA single us out? Why did they mischaracterize this Pilgrim's Pride facility as a "KFC facility?" Why did they attempt to make it look like we raise and process chickens, when they know we do not?

We think it's outrageous that PETA is unfairly singling out KFC. They've done this because we're the most recognized brand selling chicken today, and our name, Kentucky Fried Chicken, is synonymous with chicken. So we have become their target. The truth is, we sell about 5% of all the chicken in America today -- that's less than the leading burger chain. But because our brand stands for chicken, they've targeted their campaign on us. Not on any other supermarket or QSR chain. Yet these companies buy their chicken from the same suppliers you do - like Pilgrim's Pride. You didn't see them hold today's press conference in Texas, where Pilgrim's Pride is located. They held it here to try to exert pressure on us.

There's nothing wrong with being a vegetarian. And we respect that's what PETA's ultimate goal is, but we're proud that we sell world-famous chicken. So we'll never see eye to eye with them.

Our responsibility, and we take it seriously, is to be sure we have the proper standards in place for our suppliers. While we have set standards for our suppliers, it's ultimately up to them to enforce them every day. We audit them regularly, but they have to enforce them.

I want you to know we have the same animal welfare guidelines that our competitors do. The same standards for our suppliers as our fast food competitors. They are on our website, KFC.com, and we have a copy available for you today.

We ask you today to stop being a pawn used by PETA. For example, some of the TV press coverage today said this is a "KFC videotape investigation." The Courier-Journal today failed to mention that we're just one of the many fast food customers of this facility - the entire article made it look like it was a KFC facility. In fact, almost all the press coverage made it look that way. And the media is not publishing all the facts. This ongoing PETA campaign of distortion, deceit and duplicity is outrageous. Their publicity ploys, like today's call for our CEO to step down, are ludicrous.

PETA has distorted the truth time and time again. Here are just a few examples of mistruths:

• a fabricated letter by the Dalai Lama;
• claiming Jason Alexander is anti-KFC;
• claiming a former president of KFC was forced out of the company for meeting with PETA; and most importantly,
• saying we don't enforce animal welfare standards with our suppliers. In fact, our animal welfare advisory council, made up of some of the world's most-renowned experts in this area like Dr. Temple Grandin, have endorsed our actions as recently as this morning.

Bruce Friedrich, PETA's vegan campaign director, publicly said "all fast food establishments should be bombed, and he would say 'Hallelujah' to anyone who did this.

That same person was arrested and convicted for criminal trespass at the home of a Senior Executive at Yum! Brands on Christmas Eve, and that's not the first time PETA has invaded our privacy at our homes, church, at work, and with our families, our neighbors and their children.

According to the FBI, PETA funded the legal defense of an animal liberation front arsonist who was convicted of torching a Michigan State research lab.

This is not your warm and fuzzy animal rights group. This pressure through intimidation, harassment and invasion of privacy should not be tolerated. It is nothing short of "corporate terrorism."

We call on the news media and all Louisvillians to tell PETA enough is enough. Tell them their tactics are not welcome in our community. And join us by calling on Congress to strip PETA of their not-for-profit tax-free status. We hope you are equally outraged that taxpayer dollars are being used to fund this campaign of deceit, duplicity and terrorism.

To recap,

1. We are appalled by this atrocious behavior at the Pilgrim's Pride facility, and we have taken action with the supplier;
2. We don't own any farms or processing facilities, our suppliers do;
3. We have responsible animal welfare standards for our suppliers, consistent with others in the industry;
4. We are increasing our audits with our suppliers to be sure they comply with these standards; and
5. PETA's campaign distorts the truth and we would ask the media to report the true facts of the situation.

Source:kfc.com