Livingston, California: An undercover video, posted to YouTube by Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) on Sept. 28, reveals appalling conditions inside of a Foster Farms slaughterhouse in Livingston, California.
Foster Farms boasts about being “American Humane Association Certified,” and part of that certification is the company’s promise that the chickens they raise are free from hunger or thirst, discomfort, injury, pain, or disease, as well as freedom from cages, and freedom from fear and distress.
These promises are in stark contrast to the horror recorded on the undercover video.
Injured birds are tossed into piles on the ground, still alive, but buried beneath other birds. Chickens are shackled upside down in order to put them in a stun bath before the slaughter, but not all of the birds are stunned.
Christina Liu, with DxE, said:
“Animals are being eviscerated alive — right here, right now. These practices are horrifying and illegal … but they’re also business-as-usual for the factory farming industry.”
And the employees forced to work in these conditions are suffering as well. The videographer states:
“The company has specifically created this situation where you’re literally killing hundreds of thousands of animals, you’re being treated like a machine.”
Activists organized a protest at the facility, which coincided with the release of the undercover video. The protest led to multiple arrests, on charges of trespassing and resisting a public officer, and they were held on $50,000 bonds.
Watch the undercover video yourself, and be the judge – do these conditions align with the Foster Farms commitment to treating chickens they raise “humanely?”
Join us in asking the CEO of Foster Farms, as well as the USDA, which oversees factory farming to investigate this cruelty, and improve conditions. Until that time, Foster Farms foods should be boycotted.
News:
Final Update 11/25/25: Animal Victory regrettably closes this petition. The 2015 California Lawsuit against Foster Farms use of the American Humane certification was dismissed. The 2015 California lawsuit against Foster Farms was dismissed because the court found the case was pre-empted by the federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). This was because the American Humane Certified label was reviewed and pre-approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which meant state-level consumer claims were preempted.
The case, which alleged that Foster Farms misled customers through its use of the American Humane Certified label, was dismissed by a California appellate court.
The court’s decision was based on the pre-emption clause of the PPIA, which gives the USDA authority over poultry labeling.
Since the label was approved by the USDA’s Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), the court ruled that state consumer fraud claims were blocked.
Update 12/22/2021: Animal Victory received this response from the USDA:
Greetings Janelle Babington,
Thanks for providing this information to askFSIS. I have forwarded it to the appropriate FSIS offices for their consideration and follow-up activities.
If you have any additional questions regarding this issue, you can reply to this email with your questions or submit a new case to askFSIS and I will be happy to provide an updated response. Your case reference number is00901778.
Update 12/21/21: Animal Victory has sent 8854 signatures along with our letter of intent to Dan Dan Huber, Foster Farms CEO, as well as the USDA. Foster Farms USDA letter Foster Farms CEO letter
Animal-Protection-Laws-of-California-2020-Animal-Legal-Defense-Fund
Prior Signatures 9,162
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