Smithfield reiterates group housing vow

Smithfield Foods has reiterated that it will group house all of its sows by 2017, following a complaint by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to the Securities and Exchange Commission that the producer/packer “has falsely conveyed that Smithfield has higher animal welfare and environmental standards that it actually does.” HSUS said “misleading claims” are “in violation of federal security laws.”

The HSUS takes issue with videos Smithfield posted online about its Murphy Brown production unit and HSUS claims that Smithfield says it provides its sows with “ideal living conditions” even though most are confined to gestation crates.

Better Pork - February 2012