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Podcast: Trent Loos talks with PTC owner: http://www.feedstuffsfoodlink.com/Media/MediaManager/LTFD%20100201%20Haslam.mp3
Faced with a major pushback from agriculture over donations by its customers and employees to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Pilot Travel Centers (PTC) of Knoxville, Tennessee, today issued to a statement saying it fully supports the interests of the agricultural community and will suspending all future donations to the animal rights organization.
"We sincerely regret any actions that led to the misperception of our support of this organization. Pilot Travel Centers is a strong supporter of agriculture interests in our home state of Tennessee and across the country.
"Since 2007, less than $52,000 in voluntary donations from customers and employees was collected in stores as part of an employee-driven charity event. The money went to three specific areas: rural animal veterinary care services, disaster relief and a foreclosure fund to help rescue animals left behind in homes during the foreclosure crisis.
"In order to avoid any further misunderstandings, employees will immediately cease collections," said PTC.
The company also said it never matched a single dollar of these donations and "will not support any organization that has an agenda that works against agriculture interests."
After discovering that PTC was making donations to HSUS, hundreds of farmers mobilized on Twitter to flood the brand's Facebook page in protest. What developed was a debate on PTC's Facebook page between supporters of HSUS and farmers.
A similar situation occurred in January when farmers convinced Yellow Tail Wine to pull its support of HSUS. Click here for video.
Sixth generation farmer/rancher Trent Loos commended PTC for choosing agriculture over the HSUS. "While perhaps initially misled, it is obvious that the fine folks at PTC recognize and appreciate the valuable contributions that agriculture makes to all U.S. citizens," said Loos, who spoke with Jimmy Haslam of PTC late Friday. It was during the course of that conversation, Loos said, that Haslam asked him to please set the record straight about the company's position regarding the donations and to let agricultural interests across the nation know that PTC will not support those that don't support U.S. agriculture.
PTC had been monitoring the discussion since it first surfaced on the social media scene but had not until today made public comment regarding its support for either agriculture or HSUS. Click here for the statement from PTC.
HSUS responded by issuing this statement: "We thank employees and customers of Pilot Travel Centers for three years of loyal support for animals in need. We regret they are no longer being given the opportunity in stores to support our work to help animals abandoned in the foreclosure crisis, to help end pet overpopulation and aid animals in distress."
Loos, who is also a well-known broadcaster, will be airing an interview with Haslam on Monday on his national syndicated show "Loos Tales." In addition to his radio programming, Loos produces a weekly TV program by the same name on Dish 9411 each weekend morning and is a partner with Feedstuffs on Feedstuffs FoodLink, an effort aimed at providing consumers with the facts about their food and those who produce it.
Pilot was founded in 1958 as a single, family-owned gas station in Gate City, Virginia. In 1976, Pilot built its first convenience store and began converting the rest of its locations to convenience stores. Pilot's first travel center opened in 1981, and travel centers have been the main thrust of its business ever since. Today, PTC operates and licenses over 300 locations in more than 40 states. It has approximately 13,000 employees and annual revenues of $16 billion (2008).
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