In the War Between.: Animals

February 5, 2012

Walmart's Pork Supplier Exposed: This is What Saving Money Looks Like.

Walmsrt's supplier states they are proud of this footage:

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