The activist group Mercy for Animals is going after Tyson Foods again, but this time it’s not about the chickens. It’s in regards to Tyson’s treatment of its contract growers.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Mercy for Animals is launching a four-billboard campaign in northern Georgia seeking anonymous reports from contract farmers about Tyson Foods. The relationship between growers and the entity they contract with has typically been contentious in recent years.
Mercy for Animals says it will “use the information to pressure the meat industry giant for better pay to farmers and more humane conditions for the birds.” Mercy for Animals President Leah Garces says, “Each year, more and more contract poultry farmers are speaking out against unethical practices in the chicken industry. We’ve launched ChickieLeaks.com to provide a platform for whistleblowers to securely report wrongdoing.”
Georgia’s broiler industry is worth $456 million to the state’s economy. Georgia is the nation’s number one producer of broilers, while Tyson is a major integrator in the state.
A Tyson spokesman told Meating Place Dot Com that, “Tyson Foods believes that ensuring the proper health and welfare of animals is an important moral and ethical responsibility.”
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasters