Smithfield Foods, the largest pork producer in the nation, appears to have broken their promise to phase out cruel gestation crates in their facilities.
In 2007, this company declared that they would discontinue the use of these inhumane devices, which confine mother pigs into areas so small that they cannot even turn around. This year they followed up by announcing that they had successfully transitioned all pregnant pigs away from sow stalls into group housing enclosures.
“Smithfield’s leadership in animal care is reflected in today’s landmark announcement,” stated Kenneth M. Sullivan, president and CEO of Smithfield Foods. “Achieving this goal is a testament to the fact that, at Smithfield, we keep our promises.”
Shockingly, a recent report by animal welfare organisation Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), following an underground investigation, alleges that Smithfield continue to use gestation crates for pigs.
They released photos and video footage from inside the pig farms, showing both pregnant sows and sows that have already given birth confined to these barbaric stalls.
This is in direct contrast to Smithfield’s claim that pigs will only remain in the crates for insemination, then moved to group housing for the duration of the pregnancy, then transferred to farrowing crates after giving birth.
“Smithfield’s press release from 10 years ago indicated that it would be phasing out crates, not used for a different purpose. They are conceding now that did not happen,” said Wayne Hsiung, DxE’s chief organizer. “In virtually every instance where we’ve exposed a factory farm, they claim there is a mythical ‘humane barn’ where the animals were well treated,” said Hsiung. “The reality is that they must do this because the public does not have a stomach for animal torture.”
Gestation crates have been widely criticized by animal welfare experts for yearss.
“The close confinement of sows in stalls or tethers is one of the most extreme examples of cruelty to an animal. It continues throughout much of life and is much worse than severely beating an animal or most laboratory experiments,” Donald M. Broom, Professor of Animal Welfare at the University of Cambridge, stated in a report.
Gestation crating has already been banned or is being phased out in Arizona, California, Florida and Massachusetts, with six more states following suit. However, Iowa, North Carolina and Minnesota, states which collectively house over 50 percent of the nation’s pigs, have no such laws.
Meat suppliers such as Smithfield must be held accountable to the promises they make, and concerned consumers need to push local governments to change their animal protection laws in order to help these innocent animals.
The evidence is clear — the best way to ensure that your plate is truly cruelty free is to follow a plant-based diet.
This is downright despicable — talk about, “NOT GIVING A DAMN” — Smithfield does NOT care about Animals NOR about their Human Customers — STOP purchasing Smithfield products — better yet, GO VEGAN —- GO VEGAN.
THESE PLACES SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN!!! I HATE ANIMAL ABUSE AND THESE SCUMBAGS SHOULD BE WIPED OFF THE PLANET!!!! PEOPLE, STOP EATING MEAT!!!
Time to put s dent in their income! Boycott Smithfield! I HATE animals cruelty, and it needs to be stopped, so hit them where it hurts!
Though I am quibbling here and can be taken with a grain of salt, I wish you (as well as an outspoken majority that sees plurality where it does not exit) would cease referring to a single entity, as in Smithfield, as a they. It’s an it (In a quoted passage, that status is upheld).
Among the horrors you bring to light, a quirk of usage is comparatively trivial. Yet it is distracting and, as such, mitigates your message somewhat.
It’s cruel abusive and evil
What a lying creep. I would love to see him in one of those torture crates.
Stop the cruelty!
GET THEM CLOSED DOWN!
THIS IS NOT FARMING.
If these idiots don’t want to keep their word and do what is right, close them down, then get people in there who will. I feel the government and laws can do much, much more than they pretend to do. Knowing how the public feels about these atrocities, there should be no excuses for not punishing and making these businesses do what is right for these animals. How many more more minutes, days, hours, months and years are these animals going to have to endure the inhumane treatment of thoughtless, cruel, selfish, greedy, stupid, pathetic human beings. Dam!
Problem is most of the lawmakers are Republicans who don’t give a flying you-know-what for animals of any kind and are quite happy to allow their greedy and cruel mates to keep gestation crates going. All concerned Americans can keep doing is pushing and pushing until these disgusting individuals can’t hide any longer.
people really do not need to eat meat to be healthy. the way some people and what they eat are pigs themselves, stop harming this animals.
Reality is constantly changing and now our current reality is telling us from the rise in cancers that it’s time to do away with the savagery of animal slaughter for food. The root of most illnesses to humans is the consumption of meat.
Can’t they be sued for false advertising, or false something? They must be publicly shamed, and made to pay.
“I did not become a vegetarian for my health, I did it for the health of the chickens.” Isaac Bashevis Singer
Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian/vegan diet. –Albert Einstein
Eat nothing w/ a mother, nothing w/ eyes, nothing that would flee if pursued as food.
I do not know how these people sleep at night, obviously they do not have a conscience otherwise this practice would be stopped immediately……..
Just GO VEGAN!!! Everybody!!! Then these companies will go out of business and the abuse will be stopped. The animals want you to stop eating them!!!
Save the pigs . Go vegan !
There are cameras everywhere/ Why are there none at these places?
Some states have passed Ag Gag laws. In essence, if someone goes in undercover & films this stuff, the person that does the filming is breaking the law. Perverse isn’t it. It’s just fine to torture & abuse animals but it’s not okay to film it. The corporations bribe, ( I mean campaign contributions, wink wink), the officials, to pass laws to allow them to continue to abuse animals. The legislators have many reasons ($$$) to not care about animal welfare.
It’s bad enough people abuse, neglect and torture animals. That big corporations don’t adhere to rules when it comes to animals, nor do the scientists when doing experimented. But now businesses are going to lie about how they treat and what they do to the animals.
This deserves some major fines, that should to helping animal cruelty. It’s time this stops. These animals are beautiful, kind, feeling creatures that don’t deserve the horrible treatment they get. You know when you hurt them they DO FEEL IT. You’re hurting these animals mentally and physically. How can you do this and just look the other way? Stop living you always get caught at some point and treat these innocent, caring, loving animals with care and respect, it’s the least they should get.
Treat the animals the way you’d want to be treated, they deserve this small courtesy and so much more. Stop the lying, stop the abuse.
There should be some stiff fines, possibly jail time. Everyone, needs to know this is unacceptable behavior..
There should be major consequences for This Company for this tremendous Lie. I hope something can be done to Ring Their Bell.
Of course they lied. What else did anyone expect? Just don’t buy their products.
I have no doubt that the farms will lie about using the crates as well. When these farms say no more crates are they checked on to make sure they keep their promise or is it gonna be a lie. From the amount of cruelty that goes on with no heart I can’t honestly take their word for it. Because that would mean less dollars and they are not willing to loose money because it call comes down to the dollar like everything else. Have to find ways to make them keep their promise once they made it. Good luck with that one. Hopeful yes.
I hope they are severely FiNED for this lack of ETHICS!
Smithfield if you use these crates and you feel this is ok, why are you lying about it and saying you are not using them? You clearly are trying to fool everybody?I hope people just get smart and stop buying from them,if they lie about this what else would they lie about. This just makes me so mad because they know it is wrong or they wouldn’t have lied
This is outrageous! Can they be fined for false advertising? How can the general public be made aware of this information?
Man has the ability to create amazing technology and to modify and fix most of what ails the human body. However, humans are not successful in finding ways to modify the human brain to be compassionate and caring in all circumstances as needed. In stead, society is getting MORE (!) vicious, more (!) conscienceless, more (!) cruel, more (!) deadly! Humans have evolved to be the MOST DANGEROUS PREDATORS ON EARTH!!! Animals have great capacity to suffer, but so many humans are so brain dead to the suffering, especially in the PROFIT industries.
And for those who financially support these profit industries by eating the body parts of the victims, YOU(!) are a complicitor.
The way you teach Smithfield, which now not USA owned is to hit them by not buying anything from Smithfield and their associates.
When you hit their sales and bottom line, they will get the message.
Smithfield has many contract growers and they can be brought into the party
HIT THEM HARD $$$
DO NOT
DO NOT Harm any animal or people or farms
This bile american vermin are dusgusting when it comes to animal cruelty kicking searing hitting with bars baby pigs and factories same with new born calved beaten kicked punched when have only just bern born .AMERICA YOU ARE VILE MURDERING EVIL BACKWARD SICK SCUM IN YOUR ANIMSL TREATMENT UOU ATE SICK STONEAGE MURDETING VERMIN THESE ANIMALS YOU MUTILATE ARE MORE INTELKIGENT THAN THE BASTARDS THST DO THIS TO THEM ALSO STILL KILLING NEAR EXTINCT ANIMALS AND HACKING UP ELEPFANTS THST SRE PREGNANT JUST FOR A PIECE OF BONE YOU PERVERTED PIECES OF SHIT YOU SHOULD ALL DUE FIRVYOUR SICK BRAINLESS BEHAVIOUR HUNTERSVARE COWARDS KILLING THINGS THAT CANT FIGHT BACK YOU ARE LOWRR THA RATS IN EVOLUTION AND DEFINATKY LOWER THAT THE BEINGS YOU SLAUSGHTER YOU ARE INHUMAN BRAINLRSS PILES OF STONEAGE CRAP AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVR A VERY PAINFUL ENDING BECAUSE NO DANGET UOU SHOULD BE BROUGHT DOWN GIR THE SICK THICH INDECANT BILKIES YOU ARE VETMIN EACH AND EVERY ONE THE WORKD HATES YOU YOU SICKNDEGENETATE BRAINLESS BAGS OF SHIT HATED WORLD WIDE AND CERTAINLY SHOULD BE GONE FROM OUR PLANET STONEAGE EVIL MURDERING UNEDUCATED THICK BRAINLESS USELESS no good trash
Is there a letter that we can all sign, please? If LFT readers pledge to not buy their “products”, this might have more of an impact.
And then really don’t buy their products:
Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan’s, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cook’s, Grattney, Carando, Margherita, Curley’s, and Healthy Ones.
They also sell to China online.
Please let’s raise our voices in a petition!
The best way to live is vegan. This is a truth that many, many people refuse to accept. The refusal is deeply rooted in selfish, self interest..an emotion so powerful that not even empathy can pierce its veil. Humanity must accept that a plant-based diet is the only way to stop the cruel acts that are being committed in these hell holes called farms. Stop denying this truth!
Not surprised. Smithfield is one of the most abusive agricultural industries in the business and I haven’t bought ANYTHING of theirs in years! I also write letters to corporate offices of grocers that carry their products.
Hate to break it to you, but ALL animal agriculture is abusive. Abuse is such a tidy word for the hell on earth that happens at these “farms”. Let empathy be your guide. Also, grocery stores don’t care that you write to them. It’s a business. The only tool you have is your money. Commit to a plant-based diet.
Boycott Smithfields products , write them and let them know they are losing customers for their cruelty to these animals. Eat a p;ant based diet.
What can the public do to let Smithfield know that we are not going to tolerate this? Who can make sure they are complying? Something needs done.
Very easy. Commit to a plant-based diet (vegan) and encourage others to do the same. Your money holds all the power.
Dont trust these companies they will say they will stop so your off there back but will continue after you leave
I am never eating pork again. We are as bad as China and Korea. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
I couldn’t agree with you more!!! We disagree with countries/people that eat animals that we don’t agree with like cats and dogs but what about countries like India that treasure the cow yet we slaughter them but we don’t hear them complain to us. I don’t think we should eat any animal.
HORRENDOUS…kARMA IS COMING FOR THIS COMPANY!!!
Barb, karma doesn’t go after companies. A company is not a person. People are the consumers of this abuse. If you stop eating and using animal products, you will not need karma.
STOP LYING SMITHFIELD!! Put their CEO’s in these crates and see how they like it. ???
Almost all hog producers do this. Not just Smithfield. All you condemning them need to buck up and be vegans or eat 100% organic, non-gmo, outdoor raised hogs. Good luck finding that and if you do, affording it is a whole new issue. And for those who eat beef. Most of that comes from cattle sheds that are worse conditions then the hog confinements. This is our world. Dont eat meat, raise it yourself, or deal with it.
This is exactly why I never get excited about any news. A corporation will say anything to qualm consumers. They want to sell their goods and make more and more money. I get excited when they actually act on their words.
These Barbarians only think about the money
We are not any better than the Chinese or Koreans ?? I despise them for their greediness over Humane treatment? I will pass the word how life and unnessary pain means nothing to them ! They are just a few of the SUB HUMANS in Our World ?? Spread the NEWS ?
All these Barbarians think about is the money
Smithfield…..the name that horrifically tortures and continues its vile treatment of these poor defenceless pigs. No better than the vile treatment of sentient animals than the cruel Chinese or South Koreans. Please stop this heinous company and all others like it. The time for humanity and compassion is NOW. We are better than this.
GREED IS THE MAIN REASON THAT ALL THIS ASSHOLES LET BE THEIR GUIDES!!!!!
they don’t want to do one thing for any of God’s animals. But time will prove that these greedy bastards will pay big time.
The day will come when they will become accountable. BUT HOW? Who knows they may suffer a horrible death, the ruin of their company, the ruin of everything.
Rev. Doug Bilyeu
Animal Activist
Hope Ministries
You barbaric piles of garbage, Smithfield. Let it be known what brands you house so others can give u the finger,, COOK’S HAMS, Smithfield Foods. Schneiders,, Cracker Barrel, Farmer John just to name a few.
And what few realize is..YOU ARE OWNED BY A CHINESE COMPANY!!
All chinese shit hope they have a life of hell forever in hell
Just saw the other posting, so it is Smithfield. If they sell that brand here in California I will let my family and friends know not to purchase this product. Thanks!
Okay! So what products do they or their suppliers produce so I CAN STOP BUYING THAT PRODUCT?????
Yep. Smithfield bacon – anything with the Smithfield name on it I absolutely do not buy. They probably still have the same cruel workers too.
Americans are no better than the Chinese or the Koreans where animal cruelty is concerned. They just think of their own gargantuan appetites by eating unhealthy foods such as ham, bacon, sausages etc. The Old Testament forbids the consumption of pork but the so-called evangelical states of America like Iowa, North Carolina and Wisconsin couldn’t care for what the Bible says despite their claims to evangelical Christianity. What hypocrites these idiots are!
Who do you think owns Smithfield, Nelson??
Vegan here.
You are amazing. Keep it up. We have discovered this truth as well. Only vegan, all the time. Our lives are peaceful again.
STOP this cruelty immediately. Fed up!!!!!!!