Egg farm’s chickens abused, PETA says

Site in Ohio a Walmart-brand supplier

Employees for an egg supplier for Walmart abused chickens at an Ohio farm, an animal-welfare group reported Wednesday.

An investigator spent 18 days at a farm that supplies eggs under the “Great Value” brand to Walmart and found that hundreds of hens had died after getting wings, legs or necks caught in their cages, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The organization also said that it recorded video of workers pulling and twisting the birds’ heads in to break their necks. Workers also used a leaf-blower to remove loose feathers and dust, causing the caged birds to panic, among other unethical practices.

After the investigation, PETA on Wednesday urged Walmart to reassess its relationship with Trillium Farm

Holdings, a subsidiary of Versova, one of the largest U.S. egg producers.

“We do not tolerate animal abuse of any kind and expect all farm animals in our supply chain to be treated humanely throughout their lives. We believe that the welfare of farm animals should be considered in selection of all production systems, practices and technologies,” a Walmart spokeswoman said Wednesday. “We take these allegations seriously and will conduct a thorough review and take corrective action as appropriate.”

The farm in Licking County, Ohio, has a history of animalwelfare, environmental and human-rights concerns, said Daniel Paden, vice president of PETA. In late June, workers killed more than 100,000 unwanted “spent” hens, stuffing them in metal boxes where they were gassed ahead of a

state inspection.

“Staff have been working late explicitly to remove dead birds from cages, ensure that rodent traps are down and to try and sanitize the place,” Paden said. The Ohio Department of Agriculture is scheduled to inspect the farm and ensure it is complying with environmental regulations today.

The Trillium Farm Holdings is marketed as one of the nation’s leading egg producers and claims to invest in “training and compliance to ensure that our hens always receive the best care,” according to its website. Versova, Trillium’s parent company, did not immediately return messages for comment about PETA’s investigation.

Paden said his organization reached out to Doug McMillon, Walmart’s president and chief executive, and the Bentonville retailer’s food management teams to address their concerns. Walmart responded to PETA, saying that it expects its egg suppliers to follow animal husbandry and killing standards set by the United Egg Producers organization.

In 2015, Walmart and Sam’s Club stores across America took stances against animal abuse and supported the “responsible use of antibiotics” in farm animals as a way to improve the sustainability of the items they sell, according to a news release.

Walmart said it recognized animals should be free to express normal behavior and free from hunger and thirst; discomfort; pain, injury or disease; and fear or distress, citing standards from the Farm Animal Welfare Council.

It also asked suppliers to take disciplinary and corrective action in cases of animal abuse and give progress reports to Walmart on how they addressed any animal welfare concerns.

According to PETA, the Ohio farm has 16 houses that can hold up to 2.4 million hens and supplies eggs to Walmart stores along the East Coast.