Foster Farms Turkeys Pardoned by President While Company Tortures Other Birds

Ari Solomon November 24, 2015

A new Huffington
Post
article
by MFA’s president, Nathan Runkle, draws attention to this week’s presidential pardon of
two Foster Farms turkeys in honor of Thanksgiving. But don’t let this poultry industry PR stunt fool you. 
As a
Mercy For Animals undercover investigation into an American Humane
Association “American Humane Certified Foster Farms poultry facility showed,
Foster Farms is no friend to birds. Our hidden-camera footage exposed chickens
run over by transport trucks, workers ripping out the feathers of live birds
for fun, and birds scalded alive in hot water feather-removal tanks. Following
the secret video’s release, three workers were
suspended and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office opened a criminal
investigation.
Sadly, this abuse is not singular, and without meaningful animal welfare requirements Foster Farms chickens will continue to suffer. Foster Farms turkeys, who are also American Humane Certified, suffer tremendously too. They are bred to grow so big so fast their own bones can’t even support their body weight. This is animal cruelty no company with morals should condone.
For more than a decade, AHA has been slapping its “humane” certification on products from some of the worst factory farms in North America, including big-name turkey producer Butterball—another company MFA has outed for rampant animal abuse. That’s why more than 130,000 caring consumers have petitioned AHA to update its standards to minimize on-farm abuses and mandate less cruel killing systems that reduce the suffering of birds. Foster Farms must also stop pretending that its AHA certification prevents animal abuse and implement truly meaningful animal welfare requirements.
You can help by telling Foster Farms to stop abusing birds and selling lies:
  • Comment on Foster Farms’ most recent Facebook posts
  • Email Foster Farms
And remember, the best way we can protect birds and other farmed animals this holiday season is simply to leave them off our plates. Visit ChooseVeg.com for seasonal vegan recipes and more.

Read what’s next.

InvestigationsNews

How Switching to Chicken Hurts More Animals

For many people, red meat is the first thing to be eliminated from their diets. Unfortunately, that often means that they end up eating more chicken. Here’s how switching to chicken hurts more animals: While all farmed animals experience tremendous suffering, chickens lead some of the most miserable lives of all farmed animals, and comprise […]

Read More
News

Report: Pediatricians Say Meat Industry Is Killing Kids

It’s no secret that factory farms are breeding grounds for deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the threat of untreatable infections has never been greater. In fact, a recent study found that by 2050 about 10 million people will die each year as a result of such infections. Now, new research published in the journal Pediatrics argues […]

Read More

Get info about volunteer opportunities, Mercy For Animals news, and more.

Thank you for signing up!

Costco Supplier Caught Abusing Baby Chicks

A new Mercy For Animals investigation exposed horrific abuse at a Costco supplier farm, including birds beaten with sticks and rakes and chickens collapsed on filthy litter.

Hold Costco Accountable