Springdale-based Tyson Foods said Wednesday that it is investigating an animal-welfare group’s undercover video recently taken at a contract farm in Tennessee.
California-based Mercy for Animals said in a news release that the video was primarily filmed within the past few weeks at an independent farm in Lewisburg, Tenn.
The footage shows workers hitting animals with a club, breaking the necks of chickens and neglecting injured and sick animals.
“Tyson Foods is literally torturing chickens to death," said Nathan Runkle, president of Mercy for Animals, in a statement, adding that the poultry company has “the ethical responsibility to end the worst forms of animal cruelty in its supply chain.”
In an emailed statement, Tyson spokesman Worth Sparkman said the well-being of animals raised by the company's independent farmers is "extremely important."
"Our veterinarians and animal health experts are looking into these claims, which reuse old videos about matters we’ve already investigated and taken action on," Sparkman said. "If our investigation into this farm uncovers anything wrong, we will immediately address it."
Read Thursday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.