Owner of Tyson-Contracted Factory Farm Charged with Animal Cruelty, Enters Plea Agreement

After a Compassion Over Killing hidden-camera investigation uncovered heartbreaking abuse to birds at Atlantic Farms, a Virginia factory farm contracted by Tyson Foods, the nation’s largest chicken producer, our evidence was turned over to authorities, who promptly investigated. The video reveals birds being violently kicked, slammed, thrown, and run over and crushed to death by forklifts. Other birds were killed by being stepped on or impaled with a metal nail at the end of a pipe.

Compassion Over Killing worked closely with the state’s Senior Assistant Attorney General Michelle Welch, resulting in a charge of animal cruelty against the owner of this factory farm. The owner has entered into a plea agreement.

Under the plea deal, the owner is prohibited from working with animals for one year and must take a course about compassion to animals. The owner must also not commit any other crimes during that period.

This video marked the second time COK has exposed horrific abuse to birds within Tyson’s supply chain, and the second time working with the Senior Assistant Attorney General’s office to obtain legal enforcement.

COK’s 2016 investigation resulted in the first court trials for cruelty to chickens raised for meat, resulting in groundbreaking convictions, including a conviction for the barbaric practice of “nose boning” — now nearly wiped out industry-wide since being exposed for the first time on hidden-camera in COK’s footage.

An increasing number of prosecutions demonstrates that cruelty against animals in agriculture will not be tolerated by law enforcement.

Lend your support as COK continues our important legal work striving for justice for all.