The animal rights group Animal Outlook has exposed the mistreatment of chickens on a farm in Virginia, US, which used to raise chickens for Tyson Foods, although it seems the meat pack company has severed ties with the farm now. An Animal Outlook undercover investigator recorded the conditions at Jannat Farm from August to November 2022, and observed them going without feed for up to 52 hours, being physically abused, and living in filthy conditions at the farm. Video shot by the investigator shows chickens being thrown and kicked by farm workers and in at least one case a worker ripped off the head of a chicken.
Tyson Foods says it cut ties with the farm in January after it claims it uncovered animal welfare issues on its own, but the animal protection group believes there may be other reasons. Cheryl Leahy, Animal Outlook’s Executive Director, said Tyson should have known about the abuse sooner because the farm had been raising chickens for them for at least seven years, and the company had a manager overseeing operations. Leahy said she believes Tyson’s decision to end its contract with this farm may have been related more to its decision to shut down a processing plant in the area this spring.
Animal Outlook filed a complaint with the local district attorney asking for a criminal investigation into the farm’s treatment of chickens, which was forwarded to the state attorney general’s office.
The group also said this farm failed to follow good biosecurity practices to limit the spread of bird flu, as it claims workers failed to sanitise their boots before they entered barns, and some of the buildings had openings that could allow wild birds to enter.
