Animal rights group Compassion Over Killing (COK) is using an undercover video that was apparently filmed at the Amick Farms poultry processing plant in Hurlock, Maryland, as a platform to pressure the U.S. Department of Agriculture to lower the maximum allowable line speeds at U.S. poultry plants.
The video was filmed by an animal rights activist who obtained employment at the plant.
In the video, some scenes of animal mistreatment are shown. In words printed near the bottom of the video screen, COK stated “As our investigator saw, increased kill line speeds could mean more abuse, more suffering …”
Amick Farms responds
Amick Farms says it is taking appropriate actions in regards to some workers treating chickens in a manner that was inconsistent with the company’s animal welfare policies.
Ben Harrison, president of Amick Farms, described the video to the Washington Post as “surreptitious” and “highly-edited” and that it was filmed by a “former, short-time employee with ties to an animal rights activist group.”
However, the company acknowledged that the video did show some footage that was concerning to the company.
“Some of the actions in the video are clear violations of our animal welfare policies and our company values,” Amick Farms said in a statement. “We are taking all appropriate actions including, but not limited to, further training, swift disciplinary action, and a more rigorous approach to ensuring compliance with our policies for the humane handling of our birds.”
Harrison just completed his term as 2017-2018 chairman of the National Chicken Council (NCC).
Compassion Over Killing starts online petition
On its website, COK not only criticizes Amick Farms, but also the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for allowing plants such as that one to operate at line speeds Compassion Over Killing deems too fast, as well as the NCC for its stance on line speeds. According to the animal rights group, the Amick Farms plant was one of 24 U.S. plants to receive a waiver from the USDA that allowed line speeds up to 170 birds per minute.
Using the video as a platform to push USDA to lower the maximum allowable line speed, COK has placed a petition on change.org. In the petition, a person identified only as “Jordan, Undercover Investigator, Compassion Over Killing” asks people to urge the federal agency to “put the brakes on cruel and reckless high-speed slaughter today – and instead grant these birds bare minimum protections under federal law.”
As of mid-morning CST on November 20, about 5,900 people signed the petition.
