An animal-rights group unsuccessfully tried Tuesday to get Hormel Foods Corp. to label all of its meat packages with information on the greenhouse-gas emissions “footprint” caused by making the products. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals representative Stephanie Downs read a statement in support of PETA’s resolution during Hormel
Foods’ annual stockholders meeting Tuesday night at Austin High School. Downs urged shareholders to pass the labeling resolution to “bring transparency about Hormel’s environmental impact.” Hormel chief executive officer Jeffrey M. Ettinger said the company has stated publicly its goal to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from the production and delivery of its products. “We are unable to provide accurate, reliable information on the impact of greenhouse gases per food product due to the lack of universally accepted standards,” Ettinger said. “If meat is on the menu, so is a hefty serving of greenhouse gases,” PETA senior vice president Tracy Reiman said in the release. “Consumers have a right to know how much Hormel’s conversion of animals into meat is contributing to climate change.”