Abstract
This chapter explores and discusses some noteworthy cases of harm perpetrated by Tyson. Cases include multiple incidents of animal harm recorded via undercover video at Tyson processing plants and contracted farms as well as multiple documented environmental harms that resulted in legal action against Tyson.
Keywords
- Tyson Foods
- Environmental violations
- Undercover video
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
A sustainability report is a document published by organizations that assesses the environmental and social impacts of the activities of the organization (Global Reporting Initiative n.d.).
- 2.
In 2013, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommended that those pork producers still using blunt force trauma as their primary method of euthanasia adopt alternative methods (Pork Network 2013).
- 3.
The Tyson FarmCheck™ program is an animal well-being program that “includes on-site audits of livestock and poultry farms” (Tyson Foods 2013: 4).
References
American Association of Swine Veterinarians. 2009. On-Farm Euthanasia of Swine: Recommendations for the Producer. Perry: American Association of Swine Veterinarians.
Animal Agriculture Alliance. 2014. Truth, Lies and Videotape. Arlington: Animal Agriculture Alliance. http://www.animalagalliance.org/images/upload/Truth,%20Lies%20and%20Videotape.pdf. Accessed 21 May 2014.
Animal Legal Defense Fund. 2015. Undercover Investigation Documents Tyson’s Cruel, Illegal Treatment of Chickens. San Francisco: Animal Legal Defense Fund. http://aldf.org/press-room/press-releases/undercover-investigation-documents-tysons-cruel-illegal-treatment-of-chickens/. Accessed 1 Dec 2016.
Berlin, Joey. 2008. PETA on Tyson. The Emporia Gazette. http://www.emporiagazette.com/business/article_ae2bc3a5-f888-541d-8ea6-a8d473cbb7ab.html. Accessed 21 May 2014.
Biondolillo, Chelsea. 2013. Wyoming Premium Farms Employee Found Guilty of Animal Cruelty. Wyoming Public Media. http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/wyoming-premium-farms-employee-found-guilty-animal-cruelty. Accessed 22 May 2014.
Bruggers, James. 2002. Sierra Club Vows Suit over Chicken Farms and the Dust They Produce. The Louisville Courier-Journal. http://www.mindfully.org/Farm/Chicken-Farms-Dust-Suit5feb01.htm. Accessed 28 May 2014.
Dicker, Rachel. 2016. Animal Rights Group Records Tyson Foods Employees Horrifically Abusing Chickens. U.S. News. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-11/animal-rights-group-records-tyson-foods-employees-horrifically-abusing-chickens. Accessed 1 Dec 2016.
Engle, Mary K. 2014. Concerning Tyson Foods, Inc’s Promotion of the Farm Check™ Animal Well-Being Program. Federal Trade Commission. http://www.ftc.gov/public-statements/2014/01/letter-mary-k-engle-associate-director-division-advertising-practices. Accessed 21 May 2014.
Environment America. 2016. America’s Next Top Polluter. Washington, DC: Environment America Research and Policy Center. http://www.environmentamericacenter.org/sites/environment/files/reports/Env_Am_Tyson_v4.pdf. Accessed 12 Apr 2016.
EPA. 2006. Accident Prevention and Response Manual for Anhydrous Ammonia Refrigeration System Operators. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/region7/toxics/pdf/accident_prevention_ammonia_refrigeration.pdf. Accessed 30 May 2014.
EPA. 2014. Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs). Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved May 27, 2014, http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/supplemental-environmental-projects-seps
EPA. 2016. Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule Overview. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/rmp/risk-management-plan-rmp-rule-overview. Accessed 22 Dec 2016.
Galli, Cindy, and Randy Kreider. 2013. Ag-gag: More States Move to Ban Hidden Cameras on Farms. ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/states-move-ban-hidden-cameras-farms/story?id=18738108. Accessed 18 Aug 2013.
Gazdziak, Sam. 2013. The National Provisioner’s Top 100. The National Provisioner. http://www.provisioneronline.com/ext/resources/2013May/024-037-top-100.pdf. Accessed 25 Sept 2013.
Global Reporting Initiative. n.d. About Sustainability Reporting. https://www.globalreporting.org/information/sustainability-reporting/Pages/default.aspx. Accessed 23 July 2014.
Hanson, Hilary. 2016. Undercover Footage Reveals ‘Culture of Animal Cruelty’ on Tyson Farms. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tyson-animal-abuse-chicken-breeding-farm_us_57acbddde4b007c36e4d90f1. Accessed 1 Dec 2016.
HSUS. 2012. Undercover at a Tyson Supplier: A Humane Society of the United States Investigation. Washington, DC: Humane Society of the United States. http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/farm/Undercover_pigs_050812.pdf. Accessed 21 May 2014.
———. 2014. Crammed into Gestation Crates. Washington, DC: Humane Society of the United States. http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/gestation_crates.html. Accessed 23 May 2014.
Jamieson, Dave. 2013. Tyson Foods Pays $4 Million to Settle Complaint over Worker Exposure to Ammonia. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/05/tyson-foods-ammonia_n_3021843.html. Accessed 30 May 2014.
Joplin Globe. 2013. Tyson Agrees to Pay $3.95 Million to Settle Clean Air Act Violations. Joplin Globe. http://www.joplinglobe.com/topstories/x237738247/Tyson-agrees-to-pay-3-95-million-to-settle-Clean-Air-Act-violations. Accessed 30 May 2014.
Lutz, Daniel. 2013. Tyson Exposed by Former Suppliers’ Convictions. San Francisco: Animal Legal Defense Fund. http://aldf.org/blog/tyson-exposed-by-former-suppliers-convictions/. Accessed 21 May 2014.
Mercy for Animals. n.d. Undercover Investigations: Exposing Animal Abuse. http://www.mercyforanimals.org/investigations.aspx. Accessed 23 May 2014.
———. 2016. Tyson Foods Slammed Again by Nercy for Animals’ Hidden Camera Video Exposing Sickening Animal Abuse. PR Newswire. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tyson-foods-slammed-again-by-mercy-for-animals-hidden-camera-video-exposing-sickening-animal-abuse-300274527.html. Accessed 1 Dec 2016.
North Carolina Department of Energy and Natural Resources. n.d. NPDES Enforcement Actions. Retrieved May 27, 2014, http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/swp/ps/npdes/comp-enf#SOC
Oklahoma Farm Report. 2013. Oklahoma Hog Farm the Focus of Video of Abusive Treatment of Sows and Pigs. http://www.oklahomafarmreport.com/wire/news/2013/11/06600_HogVideoAbuse11202013_055333.php#.U39B4PldWSo. Accessed 23 May 2014.
Orr, Becky. 2012. 9 Cited in Abuse at Wheatland Pig Farm. Wyoming News. http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2012/12/25/news/01top_12-25-12.txt#.U31Fi_ldWSo. Accessed 22 May 2014.
PETA. n.d. Tortured by Tyson. Norfolk: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. http://www.peta.org/videos/tortured-by-tyson/. Accessed 21 May 2014.
Pork Network. 2013. AVMA Recommends Alternative to Blunt Force Trauma. http://www.porknetwork.com/pork-news/AVMA-recommends-alternative-to-blunt-force-trauma-234790191.html. Accessed 23 May 2014.
Quirk, Mary Beth. 2013. Tyson Foods Breaks Up with Pig Farm After Video Shows Alleged Animal Abuse. Consumerist. http://consumerist.com/2013/11/21/tyson-foods-breaks-up-with-pig-farm-after-video-shows-alleged-animal-abuse/. Accessed 23 May 2014.
Schecter, Anna. 2013. Expert Panel Says Undercover Video Shows Abuse at Pig Farm. NBC News. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/expert-panel-says-undercover-video-shows-abuse-pig-farm-f2D11637736. Accessed 23 May 2014.
Schecter, Anna, Monica Alba, and Lindsay Perez. 2013. Tyson Foods Dumps Pig Farm After NBC Shows Company Video of Alleged Abuse. NBC News. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/tyson-foods-dumps-pig-farm-after-nbc-shows-company-video-f2D11627571. Accessed 24 May 2014.
Stafford, Margaret. 2003. Tyson Foods Pleads Guilty to Violating Clean Water Act. Southeast Missourian. http://www.semissourian.com/story/112750.html. Accessed 27 May 2014.
The New York Times. 2005. Company News; Tyson Foods Settles Air Pollution Suit for $500,000. The New York Times, January 28. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E02EFDE143BF93BA15752C0A9639C8B63. Accessed 28 May 2014.
Tyson Foods. 2012. Tyson Foods 2012 Sustainability Report Executive Summary. http://www.tysonsustainability.com/~/media/Sustainability/Files/2012%20Sustainability%20Report%20Executive%20Summary.ashx. Accessed 27 May 2014.
———. 2013. Fiscal 2013 Fact Book. http://ir.tyson.com/files/doc_downloads/Tyson%202013%20Fact%20Book.pdf. Accessed 17 Apr 2014.
———. 2014. Tyson Foods Letter to Hog Farmers. http://www.tysonfoods.com/Media/News-Releases/2014/01/Tyson-Foods-Letter-to-Hog-Farmers.aspx. Accessed 23 May 2014.
———. 2015. Our 2015 Sustainability Report. www.tysonsustainability.com. Accessed 17 Dec 2016.
US Department of Justice. 2003. Tyson Pleads Guilty to 20 Felonies and Agrees to Pay $7.5 Million for Clean Water Act Violations. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice. http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2003/June/03_enrd_383.htm. Accessed 27 May 2014.
USA Today. 2005. Tyson, PETA Clash over Chicken Slaughter, May 25. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2005-05-25-tyson-peta_x.htm?csp=15. Accessed 21 May 2014.
Zelman, Joanna. 2012a. Wyoming Premium Farms Abuse Alleged by Humane Society. Huffington Post, May 8. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/wyoming-premium-farms-abuse-humane-society_n_1499707.html. Accessed 21 May 2014.
———. 2012b. Wyoming Premium Farms Employees Charged with Animal Cruelty, Humane Society Says. Huffington Post, December 24. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/wyoming-premium-farms-charge-animal-cruelty_n_2359465.html. Accessed 21 May 2014.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Schally, J.L. (2018). The Nature of Tyson’s Harms. In: Legitimizing Corporate Harm. Palgrave Studies in Green Criminology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67879-5_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67879-5_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67878-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67879-5
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)