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The Humane Society says this image was taken at the Seaboard Foods' pig farm in Goodwell, Okla., in late 2011. The pigs are in stalls that measure two by seven feet, a practice that had been routine until other major pork producers announced plans to do away with them.
Aiming to pressure two of the largest U.S. producers of pork, one of them a Walmart supplier, into changing how they treat pigs, the Humane Society of the United States on Tuesday said it had staged undercover operations that revealed atrocious conditions.
Alleged abuses against the animals include the use of extremely confined crates as well as the cutting off of tails and testicles with no painkillers.
"Lame pigs, pigs with gross abscesses, torn ears and noses, and ripped genitals and piglets sickened by 'greasy pig' disease were not seen by veterinarians," the group said in a statement released along with what it said was undercover video.
The allegations focus on two pig farms in Goodwell, Okla., one owned by Seaboard Foods and the other by Prestage Farms.
The Humane Society also filed federal complaints against Seaboard alleging that it made false and misleading statements about treating its animals humanely.
Seaboard has a public "Commitment to Animal Care" that states: "We are committed to proper animal care and have a moral and ethical obligation to the humane treatment of animals. We believe food animals can and should be raised, transported and processed using procedures that are safe and free from cruelty and neglect."
On Tuesday, Seaboard posted a statement on its website saying it strongly disputed "any allegations of abuse."
Ron Prestage, who owns Prestage Farms with his parents and siblings, told Reuters the video did not appear to show any neglect or abuse at their farm. He added that the company has initiated an internal investigation to ensure company policies are followed.
"There is nothing for me to defend in the video. We have both systems (gestation crates and group pens) and have for years," Prestage said.
The video shows pigs penned in cages that the Humane Society described as "so small the animals can't even turn around, rendering them virtually immobilized for their entire lives."
The group said its undercover operatives also "found workers cutting piglets testicles and tails off with no painkiller, injured piglets with their legs duct taped to their bodies, gestation crates overflowing with feces and urine and employees hitting pigs’ genitals to force them to move from one crate to another."
Gestation crates are stalls where female pigs are placed during pregnancy.
STORY: Smithfield vows breathing room for pregnant pigs
Both companies are "lagging behind" competitors like Cargill and Smithfield Foods, the Humane Society said, noting that those had recently pledged improvements such as ending the use of gestation crates by 2017.
In its statement Tuesday, Seaboard said that its "integrated system uses both stalls and group pens to house gestating sows. Animal welfare experts and professional groups have found no one method for housing gestating sows that is clearly better than the other when managed properly."
Prestage said that "there are times when each system has its advantages. If you have an animal that's gotten injured, it's much easier to treat them if they are in an individual crate. If they happen to be on the bottom of the pecking order, the other ones are just going to beat them up.
"On the other hand, if there is no fighting, you might decide they are happier in a group pen," he added.
Reuters contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
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Too bad when there might be serious discussion and maybe we could make things better we have the likes of chochabalua and his/hers buddy fed-up with crime. When someone who abuses animals abuse one of their kids then we will get serious, because most animal abusers will abuse people....wife, husband, lover , kid.
I eat meat. I will continue to eat meat. That said, I sincerely hope that ANYONE who treats animals in this or anywhere near this manner be imprisoned for a very long time. It is natural and normal to consume meat. ( Yes, PETA, I have canine teeth for a reason.) It is against all moral and ethical boundaries to abuse living creatures.
Isn't murder a form of abuse? Your teeth are not designed for ripping flesh from bone. You are biologically designed to be an herbivore. Your jaw moves side to side (like all Herbivores) for grinding things like nuts and fruits. The jaws of real carnivores (not fake carnivores) move up and down (grip and rip). The intestinal tracks of true carnivores are short so cholesterol is past very quickly. No true carnivore has ever died from heart disease/clogged arteries (like humans do). Humans do not have carnivore speed to catch prey. We do not have carnivore claws either.
If you cook your meat, you are NOT a carnivore. Carnivores eat everything raw - genitals, brains, a$$, etc. You guys really need to watch Gary Yourofsky's lecture on Georgia Tech. You can find it on YouTube. It will change you forever. Greatest speech you will ever hear.
I get a big laugh when I read comments from the vegan types...if you don't want to eat meat, then don't. But please, knock off the preaching. BTW, I have no need for the "speed to catch prey". a 150 grain, 7.62mm projectile @ 2872 fps. does it quite handily.
Your reply shows a distinct lack of understanding. I don't know every vegan and vegetarian, but for those I do know it isn't really about not wanting to eat meat. Some do want to; some don't. That's non-sequitur.
What it is about is ethical treatment. What folks don't want is misery and suffering being inflicted on sentient animals just to assuage excessive blood-thirst by humans spoiled by an exceedingly consumptive and exploitative society.
I'm all for ethical treatment. I grew up on a farm, and we did all to make sure our animals had good lives, fed well, kept sheltered when needed, etc. And when I hunt, my goal is to make a clean kill, no suffering of my prey...no suffering also contributes to better meat quality. Corporate farms are not about actually "raising" the animals, just production, as in a factory. Bottom line is top concern.
Buy certified humane! Many people say that they cannot afford such items, which is not true (to a point) because a human only needs 3 to 6 oz of meat a weak.. which can come from various sources - eggs count and are an inexpensive alternative.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantees that certified humane meat is indeed what is claims to be. At this point, it's just really marketing mumbo-jumbo.
If you really want humane, then certify it yourself. Go to the farm; see the animals alive; check out how they're killed. If they won't let you assure yourself, then at this point, you can't trust them.
There is no such thing as "humane murder". It's a nonsensical argument. You can get ALL your protein from plants, legumes, nuts, etc. You do not require meat, dairy (which includes rape, child abduction, enslavement, torture, and murder), or eggs (hundreds of millions of male chicks are ground ALIVE because they are of no use to the egg industry). You have been conditioned to believe something that is not true. It's OK though. You can change. I did. Single most liberating thing I've ever done.
"Humane" is a relativistic term, defined by human intellect. It doesn't exist outside of societal consensus.
Different measures are employed to kill animals for meat. Some are humane; some aren't.
No, it isn't. Ridiculously self-fulfilling rhetoric such as what you posted is nonsensical, because the people you're trying to speak to instinctively recognize it as ridiculous and discount your comments as raving silliness.
That is correct. We don't need to eat meat, and as long as there is no cost-effective way of obtaining meat without inflicting suffering and misery on other sentient animals, then we shouldn't eat meat.
I agree, but isn't certified humane held to the strictest standards regarding feeding, roaming, and killing techniques? Killing techniques humane, right - now that I read that back it sounds crazy... maybe I will do some research and make a change... thanks for the impute.
The worst and most saddening thing that I have ever witnessed was a semi that was hauling thousands of caged chickens on the freeway in an open cargo with multiple chickens per wire mesh cage - many of them were dead, or simply freaking out. Their feet were poking through the squares - it makes me want to cry thinking about it.. that alone changed me - I only eat eggs from my friends chicken , which are so tasty! You are right we need to wake up!
Certified Humane simply codifies and rationalizes a specific level of cruelty.
So happy for you, Spay, but remember, some say that plants have feelings too...
Who? Specifically, who says that? Let's compare the research on the sentience of plants to the research on the sentience of animals. That's a fair way of figuring out if there is a reasonable line between the two.
Waiting for your citations.
Google "plant sentience"...too many to list here.
Good, since you replied in a lazy manner, then you'll have no problem with me doing so in response:
http://unpopularveganessays.blogspot.com/2009/06/plant-sentience.html
Conclusion
As unconscious entities, plants have no subjective, conscious interest that would be morally relevant to whether we kill them for food or other sufficient reasons (e.g. removing/killing them to build a shelter). We should respect plants in the same sense in which we respect the beauty, complexity, and wonder of insentient nature and natural phenomena in general, which entails reducing our impact on them as much as is reasonable, and not destroying them gratuitously. Our moral obligations regarding plants, however, do not compare in kind to our direct moral obligations to vertebrates, whose sentience and conscious, intentional striving for life and survival is obvious to us. Given this eager striving for life and survival of sentient vertebrates, veganism is the minimum standard of decency.
Look, slick, I didn't say that I thought they did have feelings, just said that some people say they do. Un-bunch your panties a little. And as far as lazy...I have brief breaks at my JOB...I don't have time to give lengthy answers to folks who have nothing better to do than troll....Have a nice day!
Don't think you get to hide behind vague back-handed insinuations to avoid being held accountable for projecting an objection to what someone else wrote. If you want to write something irrelevant, create your own seed, or post a reply in response to no other specific message. The issue being discussed in the message you replied to is that humane treatment of animals is important and motivates people of conscience to avoid eating meat, especially from factory farms. Your snarky reply insinuates that vegetables deserve the same consideration. They don't. My reply made that clear.
Treat serious subjects seriously.
First, my comment about laziness was actually not intended as a dig: You posted lazily and so that granted me the ability to do so as well, and sincerely I appreciated that. I refuted your contention very effectively with one URL. That was very efficient.
Second, I am not trolling. I am responding to the topic and the responses other people post seriously. Now that you've raised the question, though, it does indeed seem, from the flippant manner you're engaging the seed, that all you're trying to do is troll.
ok waltdis i have you ever been around pigs in your entire life?
Dalton: Have been around every pig, on every pig farm in America, your entire life?
Wow. Let's just totally overlook thousands of years of history. When we started eating meat there was no advertising, no profiteering, only survival. The meat we consume now has little connection to what we used to eat, and still should be. Chemicals, antibiotics, hormones etc. all not good for us. Excessive levels of fat from forcing rapid growth for quicker profits. Refined processing. Better living through modern chemistry. Right. What we eat now is poison. What we ate for millennia was pure food, high calory protein we hunted or raised ourselves for consumption. We also used a lot less of it, eating what we needed as it was too difficult to get to waste. Any book stating we are not to eat anlmal flesh goes against thousands of years of actual practice. Some Chinese do not have our emotional attachment to certain creatures that we do. I do not eat dogs as they are companions I prefer to most people. I am not Chinese. I also do not eat Guinea Pig, much enjoyed in South America. I do, however, eat rabbit and enjoy it. Different strokes for different folks. And yes, if I caught someone trying to catch and eat my Newfie I'd probably slam their head through a wall and stomp their gnads flat.
Don't forget squirrels, doves, grouse, etc. I seldom eat beef, moose and deer are my red meat. Wild pork is healthy and delicious. Ever had 'gator steaks?
The cruelty exposed in this video is out of step with mainstream American values about the treatment of animals. Those who wish to express their thoughts on the cruel practices of Seaboard Foods and Prestage Farms can do so on our website at
dude really those pigs are not being miss treated at all the mom pigs with lay down on their own piglets if u give em enough room hell they will even eat their own piglets so before u start preaching how about u get on ur computer and do some research ive been raised around pigs almost my whole life so get out of ur lil office go to a pig farm and see for ur self those pigs are treated better then we treat most people that we run around with so get ur facts straight k k
I am a meat eater, but I favor free range livestock. The factory commercial farming organizations do nothing more than give us a substandard food supply, and in return also poison the land with run-off. We need to do more to support locally based farming, and get away from the factory food as much as possible. with all the chemicals monsanto puts in the grain, feed, etc., and the genetic engineering done to plants, no one has forseen possible long term health risks. Remember, just a little while ago, the FDA told us DDT was good for us, and we sprayed away with abandon. Look at what we reaped from that.
The term "free range" has no significant operational meaning in the marketplace. In other words, it does not mean what a lot of people think it means. If what you think the term means is "animals living naturally in suitable spaces" then you have to go and see the animals yourself to assure that what you think is what actually is. And if they don't let you check, then you have your answer. Furthermore, the range allocated for animals has no impact on how humanely they're killed.
True.
While I agree with the sentiment, local farms are under as much pressure as any to cut corners, both ethical and with regard to safety. The problem isn't just the big farms, but the marketplace itself that is pushing suppliers to do the wrong thing.
i do have a ? for you bud are you retarded?
And you've just earned a boot from the thread. Hopefully the moderators will take notice and attend to it.
If you cannot conduct yourself in accordance with the Code of Honor here, then don't plan on posting here.
My family has been in agriculture for over 200 years. We have been raising pigs inside modern barns for the last 11 years. We do this to protect our animals from weather conditions, disease, and predators. The well-being of our animals is, and always has been, top priority. There are good reasons for individual stalls. We have seen the mothers and babies thrive in this environment compared to other options. We also we know we have to keep you the consumer in mind as well as our animals and employees. We Care.
I think this video allows you to see and think about the difference between gestation crates and group housing. At 42 seconds of the undercover video you see the pigs content and comfortable. If you look at the video clips at 1:33 and 2:07 these are in a small group setting. At these two times you see a sow that has bite marks and scratches (fighting because of the pecking order) and a sow overheated (again caused by fighting). Everyone has a different opinion on how to house the sows in the gestation period. There is no scientific evidence that proofs one way better than the other. If you have ever seen a group of sows get put together, you would probably think the crates are the best way to go. They all fight until a pecking order has been established, which can go on for a couple days or longer. Talk about seeing bruised and bleeding animals, which could also cause them to abort. On the other hand if you get past the time they get a pecking order established you would probably think that the group housing would be better.
In this video the undercover worker also brings up the following:
"found workers cutting piglets testicles and tails off with no painkiller, injured piglets with their legs duct taped to their bodies"
In the video it doesn't show that they spray iodine on the pigs after this has been done. In some operations (I'm not sure what these two companies’ policies are) there is a pain reliever in the iodine spray applied after castration and tail docking. They also didn't show you what can happen if the tails are not docked. In finishers tail bitings occur and have to be treated. By cutting/docking the tail it decreases the chances of tail biting. Tail biting can cause a serious infection which can spread to the spine and leave the pig paralyzed.
Normally, pigs' legs are duct taped to help with splay-leg. If done correctly it keeps the rear legs in correct position, while still allowing free movement of the rear legs. Every hog operation has procedures on how to do this based on rules and regulations set by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.
This video also makes you wonder how the HSUS expects people to follow rules and regulations when their undercover worker did not. Why would you stand around and video tape a dead sow instead of following protocol and removing her from the other pigs? Also, if a pig has prolapsed she should be culled or treated. The worker did neither based on this video. He or she also put the herd health at risk by not following bio-security rules. No devices are allowed from outside without being disinfected and approved of by the manager. People have to shower in and out of the facilities and aren’t allowed to bring items onto the clean side (besides their lunch) to decrease the chance of spreading a contagious disease or bacteria that could be harmful to the farm.
Hopefully, this video has made you ask questions to find out why these procedures are set. It is hard to make a judgment when you haven’t been provided with all the information.
I think this video allows you to see and think about the difference between gestation crates and group housing. At 42 seconds of the undercover video you see the pigs content and comfortable. If you look at the video clips at 1:33 and 2:07 these are in a small group setting. At these two times you see a sow that has bite marks and scratches (fighting because of the pecking order) and a sow overheated (again caused by fighting). Everyone has a different opinion on how to house the sows in the gestation period. There is no scientific evidence that proofs one way better than the other. If you have ever seen a group of sows get put together, you would probably think the crates are the best way to go. They all fight until a pecking order has been established, which can go on for a couple days or longer. Talk about seeing bruised and bleeding animals, which could also cause them to abort. On the other hand if you get past the time they get a pecking order established you would probably think that the group housing would be better.
In this video the undercover worker also brings up the following:
"found workers cutting piglets testicles and tails off with no painkiller, injured piglets with their legs duct taped to their bodies"
In the video it doesn't show that they spray iodine on the pigs after this has been done. In some operations (I'm not sure what these two companies’ policies are) there is a pain reliever in the iodine spray applied after castration and tail docking. They also didn't show you what can happen if the tails are not docked. In finishers tail bitings occur and have to be treated. By cutting/docking the tail it decreases the chances of tail biting. Tail biting can cause a serious infection which can spread to the spine and leave the pig paralyzed.
Normally, pigs' legs are duct taped to help with splay-leg. If done correctly it keeps the rear legs in correct position, while still allowing free movement of the rear legs. Every hog operation has procedures on how to do this based on rules and regulations set by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.
This video also makes you wonder how the HSUS expects people to follow rules and regulations when their undercover worker did not. Why would you stand around and video tape a dead sow instead of following protocol and removing her from the other pigs? Also, if a pig has prolapsed she should be culled or treated. The worker did neither based on this video. He or she also put the herd health at risk by not following bio-security rules. No devices are allowed from outside without being disinfected and approved of by the manager. People have to shower in and out of the facilities and aren’t allowed to bring items onto the clean side (besides their lunch) to decrease the chance of spreading a contagious disease or bacteria that could be harmful to the farm.
Hopefully, this video has made you ask questions to find out why these procedures are set. It is hard to make a judgment when you haven’t been provided with all the information.
Pigs in America will have more rights than we the people in America will after 02/29/2012
I've got a big surprise for those pig farmers when they look up to see what's flying overhead!
Ummm.. Before any of you open your mouth you should take the time out of your office cubical jobs and go out and see the farms and the Processing Plant!!! All you people do is read something in the news just like all the "wars" going and how horrible they are. Do you really think everything is so bad... No, not really!!! Its stuff that you want to hear or what catches your attention.. next time do research do ground work then maybe you can open your mouth! I had the chance to spend with Seaboard Foods, had the time of my life! The way they treat the hogs are great! You can't give them a fancy meal, a hot towel. They can't tell you whats wrong when they are sick.. The animals are treated with more respect then most of you treat other CO-WORKERS. And if you have ever seen how many piglets are born, 8-12... Its a big number for a massive amount sows.. I was able to castrate and cut off the tails. If you do not do any of them you run into problems, if you leave the tails long the other piglets will get aggravated and chew on it. Once one starts then everyone will start chewing. You go back to look and the piglet could have its back hinds chewed away... And once the piglets get castrated and tails cut off and iodine sprayed on them you place them back down they forget!! You can not give painkillers to millions of piglets, have you got painkillers lately??? THEY ARE EXPENSIVE!!! The taping the legs are only used for the new born piglets who have not developed their back legs correctly, its has been proven this method helps more live!!! Seaboard Foods is a company I would love to work for!!! They have change their methods greatly over the last few years to grow as a safe company! I am only 20 years old and I have a great deal of respect for animals and i am against animal abuse. But maybe listening to the news isn't the best resource for you!! Maybe you should look in your own neighborhoods and see how the dogs or cats are being treated... If you have a problem with my statement then deal with it!!!! I have NO PROBLEM EATING PORK OR BEEF!!! We process animals more humane then what our ancestors!! If you chose not to eat meat good then don't!! MORE FOOD FOR ME!!!! They reuse everything so don't think for one minute its using up so many resources it recycled!! PROBABLY BETTER THEN THE FOOD AN WATER AND TRASH YOU USE UP!!! Thanks have a great day!
As an apologist for the industry, you'd be motivated to try to excuse their actions, but even in your message you didn't successfully defend the moral offenses. You deny that the farms are generally abusive, but don't point to well-resourced, independent, random inspections of farms proving this, because the industry has spent millions of dollars fighting off reasonable access to verify claims of humane treatment. Even in your diatribe you make it clear why the industry acts in a generally immoral, inhumane manner toward animals, by outlining how operating in a humane manner would be too expensive, and would get in the way of growing the business.
Money over morals. Despicable.
Think what you people want! Maybe you should take the time and go out to a Farm or a Processing Plant you then I want you to get on here and tell me how bad they are!! All you people ever do is listen to the news or look up pictures on what?? Google? Ummm ever heard of PhotoShop? Umm people are not allowed to work with the live hogs unless they have gone threw a training and became qualified they even have a special card they must carry with them at all times!!! They have to go through the training every quarterly. If someone is having a bad day the must report to there manager so they can do another task then working with the hogs so no abuse happens. If there is any abuse that is caught the person it terminated on the spot and never allowed or even apply again through Seaboard Foods And the pins they keep them in are solely for there safety! Hogs are aggressive animals, once in heat they can become violent. Hogs are cannibals when they have the taste of blood they will eat there own. so think about it, if you don't eat meat you have no room to open your mouth!! We again are more humane today then we ever were 10 years ago or even sooner. Not only does Seaboard Foods follow the set rules and regulations.
SHAWNEE MISSION, Kan. — January 31, 2012 — We’ve reviewed documented employee actions alleging abuse and listened to the recent discussions questioning U.S. industry practices of sow gestation, swine tail cutting (or docking) and swine castration, and strongly dispute any allegations of abuse. We are pleased that our employees are following proper industry-supported protocols and procedures. In direct response to the recently released video by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Dr. Temple Grandin, Ph.D., who also is quoted in the video, stated that “there was no bad behavior by people” in the operations depicted at Seaboard Foods. We are committed to the proper and humane treatment of animals, and we believe animals can and should be raised, transported and processed using procedures that are safe and free from cruelty and neglect. We are proud of our employees for exemplifying best practices in their day to day work and truly being leaders within the industry. Our farm managers and farm sites are PQA Plus certified with specific requirements for proper animal care. Moreover, our guidelines and protocols are audited independently by Farm Animal Care Training and Auditing, LLC, (FACTA), a company led by Chief Executive and Scientific Officer John McGlone, Ph.D. and professor at the Pork Industry Institute at Texas Tech University, who is supported by a group of credentialed auditors and educators. It is important to recognize animal welfare programs, including housing for gestating sows, must be based on sound science while also seeking a balance with societal concerns. Seaboard Foods’ integrated system uses both stalls and group pens to house gestating sows. Animal welfare experts and professional groups have found no one method for housing gestating sows that is clearly better than the other when managed properly. As part of our ongoing evaluation of best practices, we are conducting research to determine the best management practices for alternative sow housing practices in our system. Furthermore, swine tail docking and castration are essential industry practices for the health and well-being of food animals as stated by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Seaboard Foods employees uphold best industry practices and our company will continue to act in ways that provide the most humane treatment for our animals. All decisions stem from this commitment. Terry Holton, President & CEO
Familiar with the term "HMC"..."head meets concrete", re: sick baby pigs. It's a common practice with Murphy Farms, and I'm sure many others.
First they put them tightly together so they can get as many as possible. Let them grow up, then they seperate them from their siblings. They are then sold to market, where people sometimes skin them, then boil, bake, or fry them alive. I'm gonna stop eating vegetables.
That comparison is ridiculous. There are fundamental differences between vegetables and animals, and between lower animals (like insects) and higher animals (like dolphins). Failure to understand and integrate these differences into your moral decisions leads to immoral decision-making.
Casreader: They do not place them tightly together they all must have room to lay down and move!! Remember don't OPEN YOUR MOUTH IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO A FARM!!!
I've read your words. I've also read the words of over a dozen researchers who have tried to validate claims such as yours. I believe them not you. Their evidence is compelling, well-documented, and their vested interest is in the humane treatment of animals, not profit, which is what I suspect is your vested interest or your sponsors' vested interest. With respect, I think you're either misinformed, or not being truthful.
However, we don't even need to worry about whether you're being truthful or not. Let's just look at the regulations and how they've been watered down. The things that the regulations actually allow are morally offensive, and it is the industry that resists both strengthening the regulations to protect animals from abuse, and providing more and more effective resources to enforce the regulations, to make sure they are complied with. And even if the regulations were strong enough to preclude inhumane treatment, the largest farms regularly resist efforts to observe their operations unannounced, to ensure that they're honorably doing even that much.
The end-result is the inescapable conclusion that the factory farming industries operate specifically to generate profit from morally offensive inhumane treatment of animals. It is their business model. Humane treatment is less profitable, perhaps unprofitable. It is only through the evil of intensive farming methods that a strong, profitable industry can thrive. Trading morality for profits.
You are retarded!!! haha I'm sorry for your stupidity.. Take the time to get off you lazy ass and go visit a Farm! See I have real proof I have been there personally you have listen to researchers! If you bitch more then maybe you shouldn't eat pork and get over it! I have to reason to lie or "NOT TELL THE TRUTH" Sorry sweetheart I don't candy coat! I have been around animals for years and I treat them with respect! Hell everyday I work with dairy cows, they have personalities just like humans. You and your little friend supporters can believe what you want but again until you take the time out of your office job to go to a farm you can shut your mouth! I might be a college student but I tell the truth, why lie it would be a waste of my life!! Yeah, they are about business but the made changes so animals are more humane, I don't defend all farms but I will to the end defend Seaboard Foods!!
Animal cruelty is a crime, the teens who blown up the the dogs face with firecrackers should be put in prison and get a firecracker duck taped to them.
Or the young boy who kill ducks with a pencil.. me..
Seaboard Foods made changes and if it would have been inhumane I would have left!
Your comments are direct violations of the Code of Honor here, and your callous disregard for the standards of responsible behavior here informs everyone as to your regard for standards of responsible behavior more generally.
Beyond that, you make wildly reckless assumptions about what other people know or don't know, instead of presenting proof of your assertions to the contrary. You want people to believe you just because you say so... it's a juvenile form of rhetoric. The offensive practices of the industry you are trying to defend are well-documented. Your efforts to deny the volumes of reports along those lines are weak and pitiful.
What I find most remarkable about your diatribe is this line, "I don't defend all farms but I will to the end defend Seaboard Foods!!" I haven't singled Seaboard Foods out, nor stated any condemnations about Seaboard Foods, specifically. I've consistently relayed what is known about factory farms in general. The fact that you have reacted in the transgressive manner that you have reacted, violating this community's standards, indicates that Seaboard Foods is probably among those farms that practice offensive, inhumane treatment of animals more than anything I have written. Your protestations in light of the fact that I've been condemning the industry, not your one company, are what draws suspicion onto Seaboard Foods.
This problem of cruelty to animals is so easy to fix. STOP eating animals. It's been proven that humans thrive better on a plant-based diet: The American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals states vegan diets are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.
Haven't bought pork (at least for home use) for several years. There are wild pigs available not far from where I live, .308 rounds don't cost much. Even built my own smokehouse for bacon and ham. Corporate farms suck, and have nearly put the local farmers out of business.
Once again the HSUS trespasses onto private property with allegations about abuses that did not take place. Meanwhile, the family farm in questions is forced to defend accepted agricultural practices. Why doesn't the HSUS step up to the plate and work with agriculture instead of against agriculture?! If they really want to improve the welfare of farm animals as opposed to destroying animal agriculture, they might consider changing their tactics.
I believe the same way you do!!
OK, ONE I'm and a college student that was raised on a farm I understand that the people from "bigger" cities don't know much about the life of animals in the wild, these pigs in the wild would be doing worse to each other than just being hurt some of these cuts and such could be easly explained by another pig.. I have seen how cut up and bleeding a sow can get after being mated from the HOOVES of the OTHER pig!! use common sence I know there isn't much of that out there nowadays but come on!!
So what you're saying is that don't know anything about factory farms.
Okay then.
Humm let me guess you read about it or see pictures!!! Have you work with hogs??
See above.
Thank you for covering this very important issue. I hope it leads to increased awareness of the experience these animals face and then results in much better treatment for farm animals. Poor little animals.