Center for Food Integrity Statement on Reporting Animal Abuse and Mistreatment

Animal agriculture has an ethical obligation to provide for the well-being of farm animals. The industry has gone to great lengths to establish programs to safeguard the well-being of all livestock while on the farm, during transport, and at processing plants.

Like everyone else, producers, processors and others in animal agriculture are appalled when we see evidence of animal abuse. Because these occurrences are not representative of the care our industry provides to animals, they deserve a response by those involved with animal agriculture. These incidences are inexcusable and must stop.

The Center for Food Integrity and the undersigned organizations are calling on all organizations and persons involved with animal agriculture to increase our industry’s attention to this important issue. Those who detect animal abuse have an obligation to address it by notifying the farm owner, the transport company’s management, the plant’s management, or the plant’s USDA inspector without delay.

These actions must be taken immediately for the sake of the livestock at the operation. Failure to report animal abuse immediately in order to advance an agenda that exploits the abuse for personal or organizational gain is unethical and inexcusable.  Those who witness abuse have an ethical obligation to report it immediately.

If you or an individual in your organization detects possible animal abuse, please take one of the following steps:

•    If on a farm, bring it to the immediate attention of the farm owner or farm manager on duty
•    If during transport, contact the transportation company immediately
•    If at a plant, contact the plant’s management or USDA inspector immediately

Once reported, those in positions of responsibility for animal well-being have an obligation to act quickly to end any and all mistreatment and to take corrective action to assure systems are in place that protect animal well-being.

Animal agriculture is committed to the responsible production of meat, milk and eggs and that includes providing for the well-being of animals on the farm, during transport and in the processing plant.

If your organization would like to add your name to those supporting this statement, please contact Terry Fleck [1], executive director of the Center for Food Integrity.

American Association of Bovine Practitioners
American Association of Swine Veterinarians
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Meat Institute
American Veal Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
Indiana State Department of Agriculture
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Milk Producers Federation
National Pork Board
Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin
United Egg Producers

The Center for Food Integrity is a not-for-profit organization established to build consumer trust and confidence in the contemporary U.S. food system. Our members, who represent every segment of the food system, are committed to providing accurate information and addressing issues important to all food system stakeholders. The Center does not lobby or advocate individual food companies or brands. For more information, visit www.foodintegrity.org [2].