The latest undercover video from animal activist group Mercy for Animals has resulted with both McDonald’s and Tyson Foods cutting ties with the farm in question. A video taken at T&S Farm in Dukedom, Tenn. appears to show workers beating the birds with a pole with a spike attached to it, along with other instances of physical abuse.
The farm supplier chickens to Tyson Foods, reports USA Today, and Tyson processed those chickens into items for McDonald’s. Tyson’s spokesman Worth Sparkman said the company was investigating the video, but “based on what we currently know, we are terminating the farmer’s contract to grow chickens for us.”
“We’re committed to animal well-being but don’t believe this video accurately depicts the treatment of chickens by the thousands of farmers who supply us,” Sparkman said in a statement.
McDonald's said in a statement that the activity depicted in the video was "unacceptable" and expressed support for Tyson's decision to end the relationship with the supplier.
"We’re working with Tyson Foods to further investigate this situation and reinforce our expectations around animal health and welfare at the farm level," the McDonald's statement said. "We’re committed to working with animal welfare and industry experts to inform our policies that promote better management, strong employee education and verification of practices.”
