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1.
Investigation of Tyson Slaughterhouse Alleges Systemic
Abuse of Chickens
Following a 10-week undercover investigation by a Tyson Foods chicken slaughterhouse employee, animal activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) accused the food company of cruel and inhumane practices. According to PETA, the investigation "revealed that workers were ripping conscious chickens' heads off, that slaughter machinery was systematically mutilating chickens, and that thousands of birds were entering the scalding tank completely conscious and being scalded to death." The video footage was collected during an investigation of the facility in Heflin, Alabama, conducted from December 2004 through February 2005. According to PETA, the facility kills an estimated 100,000 chickens daily and the employee was told that it is acceptable for up to 40 birds per shift to be scalded alive. PETA argues that such treatment of conscious chickens is the result of an antiquated method that cuts the birds' throats as they proceed along the slaughter line. PETA has been trying to convince chicken slaughterers to use "controlled atmosphere killing," which uses an inert gas and reduces the possibility of birds remaining conscious.
Tyson Foods has responded to the PETA complaint by reiterating its corporate animal welfare policy and accusing the undercover investigator of violating humane handling rules. The company's Chairman and CEO said that humane treatment of chickens "is an important moral and ethical obligation we owe to our suppliers, to our customers, to ourselves, and most of all to the animals we depend on for our products and our livelihood." However, the company's statement goes on to question the results of PETA's investigation and announce that Tyson Foods is conducting an independent review of the facts. Specifically, Tyson has accused the investigator of violating the company's policies "by allowing some conscious birds to go into the scald tank for the sole purpose of videotaping what he should have been preventing." Despite claiming that the birds were handled correctly except by the undercover investigator, Tyson says it is researching the efficacy of controlled atmosphere killing, as recommended by PETA.
1.
"Tyson Investigating Chicken Abuse Allegations," The Morning News, 5/26/05
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2005/05/26/business/01tysontorture.txt
2. "PETA Attacks Tyson Chicken-Slaughter Methods After 'Undercover Investigation'," Meatingplace.com, 5/26/05
http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=14294
(Registration)
3. "PETA Launches TorturedByTyson.com, Releases Undercover Investigation," 5/25/05
http://www.TorturedByTyson.com
4. "Tyson Comments on PETA Claims," Tyson Foods, Inc., 5/25/05
http://www.tysonfoodsinc.com/corporate/news/viewNews.asp?article=1760
2.
Live Pig Trade from Canada to Hawaii Prompts Investigation,
Complaint
A trio of animal protection groups including
the Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals (CCFA) recently
completed a detailed investigation of the live pig
trade between Alberta, Canada and Hawaii. CCFA was
joined by Animal Rights Hawaii and Animals' Angels,
who collectively released details for the press, video
footage from the investigation, and a day-by-day account
of the trip. According to a joint statement, 400 pigs
are sent to Hawaii for slaughter every week, a trip
that takes about 8.5 days and which the groups allege
is torturous for the animals. The statement also describes
alleged violations of Canadian law, including insufficient
breaks between journey legs, stressful surroundings,
and death and illness caused by rough seas during
transport. The investigation, conducted in October
2004, also included the return trip of live cows from
Hawaii to the US and Canada. (See the link below for
a detailed trip report.) Results from the investigation
have been submitted to both the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) and the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) as evidence of welfare violations. The video
footage taken by Animals' Angels was also recently
shown to delegates of the World Animal Health Organization
(OIE), as evidence in support of stricter global regulations
for live animal trade (see
FAW #5-20).
1. "Canada Ignoring Suffering of Animals Bound for Hawaii," Animals' Angels, 5/26/05
http://www.animals-angels.de./index.php?pageID=256&list:oid=l3674
2. Full Trip Report (PDF file, 44k): "The Live Export of Pigs from Canada to Hawaii," CCFA
http://www.humanefood.ca/docs/AA_LiveExportSummary.pdf
3.
Recent and Potential Advances in Welfare of Chickens Farmed for Flesh, Eggs
Wild Oats: In the United States, the country's third largest natural foods retailer Wild Oats announced that it will require all of its egg suppliers to move to cage-free systems. Wild Oats, which operates more than 100 stores in the US and Canada, sold 1.6 million cartons of whole eggs in 2004. In his statement, the Wild Oats President commented that "demand for improving the welfare of farm animals has never been higher" and that he hopes the company's new policy will move the egg industry "toward cage-free methods that take the animals' welfare into account." Wild Oats' policy against "battery" cages was developed after discussions with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), including managers of the group's "No Battery Eggs" campaign. HSUS has previously convinced several universities and food service providers to use exclusively eggs from hens raised without cages.
EC Directive: In Europe, the European
Commission (EC) will propose a new directive to lower
the maximum "stocking density" of what the industry
calls "broiler" chickens raised for their flesh. According
to the EC, "Scientific studies have revealed serious
health and welfare shortcomings in the intensive farming
of chickens." The new directive would set a maximum
density of 30 kilograms of live animal weight per
square meter of space (about 6.1 pounds per square
foot), significantly lower than the standards set
by the US-based National Chicken Council (See http://www.nationalchickencouncil.com/aboutIndustry/).
The proposed EC directive would also require that
farmers "ensure appropriate access to litter, drinkers
and feed as well as proper ventilation," and that
all measures are monitored with at least two inspections
each day. The possible directive will now be reviewed
by the Council of the European Union and the European
Parliament, and the EC then has two years to report
back on a "mandatory labeling scheme" to support the
directive's new welfare standards.
Australian Activists: Finally, in Australia activists have taken measures to heighten awareness of the mistreatment of egg-laying hens, by chaining themselves to battery cages and openly rescuing 30 ill or dying hens. The activist group Animal Liberation New South Wales staged a six hour sit-in at Pace Farms as well as a related protest at Australia's Parliament House in Sidney. As a result of these efforts, a farmed animal veterinarian chosen by Animal Liberation will also be allowed to visit the farm within the next two weeks to inspect welfare conditions for the hens. The veterinarian will be accompanied by additional doctors from the farm and from the Australian government.
1.
"Wild Oats Making Egg Suppliers Go Cage-Free," Denver Business Journal, 5/31/05
http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2005/05/30/daily8.html
2. "Wild Oats Gives Chickens Something To Crow About: No More Cages," HSUS, 5/31/05
http://www.hsus.org/farm_animals/farm_animals_news/wild_oats.html
3. "Commission Proposes Legislation to Improve Welfare of Broiler Chickens," European Commission, 5/31/05
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/637
4. "Animal Campaigners Target Hen Farm," News.com.AU / AAP, 5/25/05
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15402497-29277,00.html
4. USDA Report Details Integration of North American "Animal Products Complex"
For those interested in North American trade issues that impact the flow of live animals and animal products between Canada, the US, and Mexico, the US Department of Agriculture has released a new report. The publication, titled "Market Integration of the North American Animal Products Complex," is a detailed account of trade between the three countries including a discussion of all major trade agreements (NAFTA, CFTA, and others). The publication notes substantial differences in overall integration by industry, summarized here.
Poultry: The North American poultry (chicken and turkey) industry is less integrated than the trade of cows or pigs, although there is tighter integration between Mexico and the US than the US and Canada. Mexico is undergoing major structural change in its poultry industry and in 2004 only three poultry companies accounted for 60% of all slaughter. Moreover, the number two and three companies operating in Mexico are actually based in the US - Tyson Foods and Pilgrims Pride. A favorable Mexican business environment allows these companies to reduce labor costs and also tap into a rapidly growing domestic (Mexican) consumer market for poultry products.
Cows: Trade in both live cows (for both dairy and "beef" production) and cow flesh between North American countries has historically been tightly integrated. However, the cow trade was significantly hindered by the discoveries of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in both Canada and the US beginning in May 2003. The concern over BSE is still impacting trade between the countries and the US-Canada border remains closed to trading live cows over age 30 months as well as some types of products.
Pigs: The live trade of pigs in North America generally flows southward, with Canada exporting animals to the US and the US in turn exporting pigs to Mexico. The US and Canada have very tightly integrated farmed pig industries, with each country specializing in particular stages of pig breeding, raising, and slaughtering. In 2004, the US imported 8.6 million live pigs from Canada, 65% of whom were "feeder" pigs to be raised and slaughtered in the US. The flesh from those pigs is then consumed domestically or exported, much of it to Mexico where demand for such products is increasing along with demand for chicken flesh.
The USDA report closes by remarking that "sanitary issues" are the primary barrier to continued market integration between the three countries, as opposed to trade regulations, tariffs, etc. As these sanitary and disease concerns are mitigated, the USDA expects that the farmed animal industries in North America will become even more integrated over time.
1. "Market Integration of the North American Animal Products Complex," USDA / ERS, May 2005
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ldp/may05/ldpm13101/
5.
Other Items of Interest
"Two States in a Spat Over Chicken-Farm
Runoff," Sun Times, 5/26/05
The Oklahoma State Attorney General has admitted to clandestinely monitoring the runoff from Arkansas poultry farms in order to build a legal case against the neighboring state. The monitors had been secreted in eight barrels tethered underwater in rivers shared by the two states, and will remain in place if Oklahoma agrees to share all data obtained from the monitoring process.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-ark26.html
"House Judiciary Committee Approves Obesity Lawsuit Legislation," Meatingplace.com, 5/31/05
The US House Judiciary Committee passed a bill to limit liability claims from obese people against food manufacturers and retailers such as fast food companies, in what is considered a victory for the food and farmed animal industries. The proposed legislation, called the "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act," will now go to a full vote in the House; similar legislation has been introduced in the US Senate.
http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=14318
(Registration)
"'Mad Cow' Cluster on Welsh Farm," BBC News,
5/30/05
Three cows on a farm in Wales (UK) have tested positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), in what officials believe is likely contaminated feed or some other isolated incident. The UK, which was ravaged by more than 36,000 cases of BSE at its peak in 1996, has slowly but steadily brought the disease under relative control; 309 cases were reported in 2004.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4593917.stm
"UN Agricultural Agency Launches Project to
Restore Veterinary Services in Iraq," UN News Centre,
5/31/05
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced it will begin training veterinarians, providing clinical supplies, and building nine veterinary centers to support Iraq's farmed animal industry. The war torn country is home to an estimated 2.5 million cows and 17 million sheep and goats; 1.5 million of those sheep are believed to be infected with brucellosis.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=14440
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