Nearly 140 Charges Filed Against Turkey Farm Workers After Investigation Uncovers ‘Horrific’ Cruelty

A total of 139 charges have been brought against 11 former Plainville Farm workers after an investigation revealed brutal animal cruelty at the turkey meat producer. 

On its website, Plainville Farms, which supplies to several major US retailers, claims to have a “humane policy.” It also claims to raise turkeys on “family farms in a stress-free environment.” 

But video footage from the new investigation, conducted by PETA, shows workers “attacking” birds on one of its Pennsylvania farms. Employees kick, stomp on, choke, throttle, throw, and even hit the animals with iron bars.

After PETA’s investigation was released, Pennsylvania law enforcement filed animal cruelty charges, including six felonies, against the workers involved. According to PETA, the number of charges filed is the largest of any factory farming case in the US.

Tracy Reiman, the animal rights organization’s executive vice president, said that the footage “was too horrific for police to ignore.”

She also pointed out that the abuse occurred despite a “humane” certification from the Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.), which is one of the country’s biggest animal welfare food labeling programs. 

Reiman added: “PETA is calling on G.A.P. to stop duping shoppers into believing a ‘humane’ lie.”

Calling out major retailers 

PETA is also calling for retailers to cut ties with Plainville Farms. These include Kroger, Publix, and Wegmans. 

Reiman has written to the CEOs of all three to request that they take urgent action on the matter. She adds that the footage was sent to each in 2021, but they “did not see fit to take any action” at the time.

In a letter addressed to Colleen Wegman, president and CEO of Wegmans, Reiman asks: “What measures has Plainville Farms taken to train, oversee, and monitor staff since this investigation took place?”

“We’d like to accompany Wegmans on a farm visit to assess the current conditions of Plainville Farms’ operations,” she adds.

To find out more about how to support PETA and help the turkeys of Plainville Farms, see here.