McDonald's, Tyson cut ties with farmer tied to abuse video

McDonald's and Arkansas-based Tyson Foods have ended their contract with a Tennessee chicken farmer after an animal advocacy organization released covert video footage the group said showed abusive practices at the farm.

The secretly recorded footage shows workers hitting chickens with a club spiked with a nail and stepping on chickens to break their necks.

The footage was obtained July 28 through Aug. 23 at T&S Farm in Dukedom, Tenn., a contract farm for Tyson that supplies chicken to McDonald's, Mercy for Animals' director of investigation Matt Rice said.

Rice said the Weakley County sheriff's office has opened an investigation into practices at the farm.

Mercy for Animals is calling on Tyson and McDonald's to adopt animal welfare standards to end animal cruelty in their supply chain. "Tyson has not only the power but moral responsibility" to implement "common sense" measures to end animal suffering, Rice said.

Tyson said in a statement that it has terminated its contract with the Tennessee farm.

Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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