New Exposé of Costco’s “Organic” Chicken Supplier Reveals Shocking Cruelty

Transcript of Interview about MFA investigation of Cosco’s supplier. [Speaker 3] Live from the Unchained TV headquarters in Los Angeles, California, this is Truth Files with Jane Velez Mitchell. A new investigation revealed the sickening reality of so-called organic chicken. Our investigators spent weeks working at an organic chicken farm that supplies Costco and filming the horrors they witnessed.

Baby chicks who were ill, injured, or just not growing fast enough were dropped into buckets along with those who had died. And then dumped into compost piles, even though some were clearly still alive and chirping.

[Speaker 2] So disturbing, really heartbreaking images. And by the way, this investigation is the subject of a major article in Vox entitled Costco's Organic Chicken Isn't What It Seems. A disturbing new investigation reveals how easy it is for farms to subvert organic rules and hide animal cruelty.

And now we're very excited to have on the president of Mercy for Animals, Arash Yomtobi. Arash, thanks for joining us. Put these disturbing images into context for us.

Tell us about your undercover investigation.

[Speaker 1] Well, thanks so much for having me, Jane. You know, Jane, in the 25-year history as an organization, Mercy for Animals has conducted 150 investigations that expose the truth and shed light onto the practices of factory farming. Now, I can't say that I've watched all of them, but I've seen many of them, both in terms of what we've done as well as many other investigations.

And the footage and documentation from this latest investigation from a farm in North Carolina raising chickens for Costco is really unfathomable and disturbing. From blatant animal cruelty to biosecurity and health-related issues being broken to USDA organic standards not being upheld, even though these chickens were sold as organic. But the biggest takeaway for those watching today is that this isn't just about one farm.

In fact, this is the second time in five years that Mercy for Animals has exposed horrific cruelty connected to Costco's chicken supply chain. Costco promised reform after our 2021 investigation. We went back, and animals are still suffering.

These are not isolated incidents. They reflect broader systemic problems within factory farming.

[Speaker 2] Well, we're going to get to Costco's comment and Pilgrim's Pride comment in just a moment. But first, let's play part two of the video of your undercover investigation.

[Speaker 3] Once they grew bigger, those who were sick or hurt got beaten with a pipe. Thrown into piles filled with the dead. And then dumped into the compost piles.

Here, those still moving and making noise are beaten with a rake.

[Speaker 2] Wow. Your undercover investigator said he documented more than 70 incidents of improper euthanasia, which sounds very clinical, with the farm manager regularly euthanizing sick and injured chickens by bludgeoning them with PVC pipes and rakes. In one instance, he crushed a bird with a bucket, in another, slamming a chicken against a wall.

I mean, this is so disturbing. It's almost hard to process. Were you shocked when you saw the videotape that was the result of this two-and-a-half-month investigation?

[Speaker 1] I was, Jane. Like you said, it's just unfathomable. And the thing that stands out for me of all the different documentation, undercover investigations I've seen through the years, watching baby chicks raked into compost while they're still chirping and fighting for their lives is something that's just really difficult to sit with.

And the investigation exposes systemic suffering. It reflects the systemic problems built into the industrial chicken production. Chickens are bred to grow so unnaturally fast that many collapse under their own weight because their young bones and anatomy can't keep up with the speed in which they've been bred to grow, to be top-heavy, to meet the demands for chicken breasts.

Many chickens were seen struggling to walk, many with broken bones, and they endure chronic pain throughout their short lives.

[Speaker 2] So we are going to talk now about what Costco has said. And by the way, you have a petition at CostcoExposed.com that you're urging people to sign. So let's talk a little bit about what Costco has said.

We reached out to Costco. We at Unchained TV, and we invite them or anyone connected to the story on at any time, any companies. But essentially what they said, and here's just a screen grab of the email, Costco Media Inquiry.

Good afternoon, Jane. Thank you for reaching out to Costco and completing the media inquiry form. Please contact Pilgrims with a website with your inquiry.

We appreciate your interest in Costco Wholesale. Please do not attribute my name to the information in this email. Kind regards, and the person who sent this.

And Pilgrims, we also reached out to them. They issued a long statement. Here are some of the highlights.

Pilgrims is deeply disturbed by the content depicted in the video footage collected at a farm operated by one of our independent contract growers. The treatment shown is unacceptable, violates our animal welfare standards, and does not reflect the values of our company. Animal welfare is a core responsibility at Pilgrims.

We require all growers and their employees to undergo comprehensive animal welfare training and adhere to strict standards designed to protect the health and well-being of the animals in their care. In this case, a grower and certain farm employees failed to uphold those standards and ignored the training and expectations provided by Pilgrims. Upon becoming aware of this conduct, we immediately terminated our relationship with the grower.

We're also conducting a comprehensive review of our animal welfare training and compliance programs and initiating additional third-party audits across our grower network beginning this week. Your response to the Costco statement, which simply directs us to Pilgrims and Pilgrims.

[Speaker 1] Yep. Dropping one farm or supplier is crisis management. It's not animal protection, and it's not accountability to consumers.

While Pilgrims Pride cutting ties with one supplier addresses a single incident, it doesn't fix the fundamental problem. And while actions taken at a single supplier may address one situation, they don't resolve the broader issues that can exist throughout the entire supply chain. Let me put this into context for you, Jane.

This one farm is estimated to raise up to 520,000 chickens each year. But Costco's influence extends far beyond a single supplier. Costco's vertically integrated supplier, Lincoln Premium Poultry, raises around 100 million birds per year and represents 40% of Costco's supply chain.

So without proper independent auditing and transparency, if Costco or Pilgrims simply cut ties with this one farm, the problem can just move to the next farm and the farm after that. And frankly, our investigation from 2021 just reinforces that. What matters is whether Costco adopts enforceable standards that follow every chicken in its supply chain, no matter where that animal is raised.

Consumers don't buy chicken based on the name of an individual farm. They buy it from Costco because they trust Costco. And in fact, Costco charges and makes most of its profits from an annual membership fee, which I'm a paying member of.

People pay that membership for the trust and consistency that Costco prides itself on. That's why Costco cannot outsource responsibility here. Shoppers aren't tracking down which farm or processor supplied the meat.

They place their trust in retailers where they shop and they expect brands like Costco to set meaningful standards throughout the supply chain.

[Speaker 2] All right, well, let's continue on with the Mercy for Animals undercover video of this animal factory that supplies chickens to Pilgrims Pride, which in turn supplies them to Costco.

[Speaker 3] But that's just the beginning. Our testing recorded ammonia levels inside the buildings exceeding 100 parts per million, more than triple the industry's own recommendations. These ammonia levels burn the animal's eyes and lungs.

And despite Costco selling this as organic, the birds were never allowed outdoors, never breathing fresh air or standing in grass in violation of organic requirements. This is the outdoor pen they never saw.

[Speaker 2] Why is that so significant that they, according to your undercover investigator, never got to the outdoor area? That is required to call yourself organic, is it not?

[Speaker 1] It is. And consumers associate USDA organic with higher standards. Now, no label can make animal suffering acceptable, but Costco sold this chicken as organic.

And consumers were asked to trust that these standards were being followed and met. What our investigator documented raises serious questions about that trust. Birds clearly denied outdoor access, birds standing in feces filled mud, high ammonia levels, inadequate darkness for sleep.

These are not small technical violations. These conditions cause suffering. And the investigation documented conditions that raised questions about whether those expectations were fulfilled.

But this isn't, again, about one farm. This investigation focuses on one supplier. But Costco's influence extends far beyond one farm.

The company has the power to reduce suffering for more than 250 million chickens annually by implementing proven, science-backed animal welfare standards throughout its supply chain.

[Speaker 2] All right, well, we are going to continue with the video of your undercover investigation.

[Speaker 3] And in the buildings where the animals were forced to spend their lives, leaks and uneven flooring contributed to feces-filled mud that birds were left to stand and walk in. The farm also failed to take the most basic measures to prevent the spread of diseases that could endanger humans. Their practices included carrying dead chickens into different buildings that contained living ones and never stepping into the standard boot sanitizer.

And the investigator repeatedly witnessed darkling beetles, which can spread E. coli and salmonella. Worst of all, even if a farm has none of these conditions or abuses, Costco chickens have been genetically selected to grow so quickly that their bodies collapse under their own weight.

Chickens bred for such unnaturally fast growth are known to endure crippling pain, immobility, leg deformities, and even heart failure. Often when they're still babies.

[Speaker 2] This is difficult to watch and it is, it's heartbreaking. It really is. What about this whole issue involving the size of the chickens?

And the average consumer may feel, well, nobody has control of that. That's nature. What are your thoughts?

[Speaker 1] Well, in fact, we do have control over that. Most of the chickens in the supply chain at Costco and across factory farms across the world are fast growing breeds. And that is ultimately as a result of the demand to be able to have a lot of, they're made top heavy to have more, to keep up with the demand for white meat.

There are alternatives that science fact has shown slower growing breeds that reduces significant amount of suffering. These large breeds grow so quickly and the young bones and anatomy of these chickens and chicks, frankly, don't have the ability to hold up their weight. So you end up with results of extreme pain, chronic suffering, broken bones, lots of different painful syndromes.

And I'll say one other thing. It's important to note that the birds suffering from foot infections due to feces filled litter and sleep deprivation from constant light and respiratory damage and burns around their eyes from dangerous ammonia levels aren't just isolated failures. They're very much predictable results of standard industry practice.

And Costco allows these to happen. Consumers paying a premium shouldn't have to wonder if the outdoor access promised by the USDA organic label was canceled because of a fabricated weather excuse, which is what our investigator documented. The reality is the proven science back standards, slower growing breeds already exist and that mandate and the processes also mandate better air quality, periods of darkness for rest, meaningful outdoor access.

Costco doesn't need to reinvent the wheel. They just need to step up, honor their past promises, and actually choose to enforce these standards across their supply chain.

[Speaker 2] So let's take a look at what some folks are saying. People should have to witness and feel the effects and consequences of their actions. They are too far removed from the reality and pain they call.

The way to get the general public on board is to unveil to them the extreme physical dangers and their children. We've got to get them to actually watch the footage because most don't want to see it. And this woman says, I plan to speak to Costco manager the next time I visit them in Arlington.

What is it that you would like people to do? Obviously, you want them to sign the petition, which is at Costco exposed dot com. But what can the general public do beyond that?

Aside from obviously not consuming the chicken would be probably your ultimate recommendation. But I don't want to put words in your mouth.

[Speaker 1] No, I mean, I agree with you, Jane. Ultimately, it's a each person is there to make their own decisions. I personally do not consume any animals and have not done so for the last 10 years.

Nor has my my entire family, including our companion animals. And we are all thriving. But at the end of the day, consumers are being absolutely misled.

And people pay a premium for the USDA organic label for standards at Costco. And so first step, we would love for everyone to go to Costco exposed dot com. Take two minutes.

Get involved with us. There's a number of ways to get involved. Once you're on Costco exposed dot com, you can sign up and we will automate a message that can get sent to to Costco.

Your voice, whether you are a Costco member or you are not, whether you're not goes far further than you think. And then there are other ways that you can learn about getting involved on Costco exposed as well as on at Mercy for Animals.

[Speaker 2] All right. Well, we have the final piece of this undercover investigation video. Let's play it.

[Speaker 3] We exposed Costco's cruelty in 2021. They did nothing of impact. Costco still has no meaningful standards across their operations and animals are still paying the price with their suffering.

It's time to hold Costco accountable.

[Speaker 2] Getting back to the Costco statement, basically, I asked for a comment to the undercover investigation and the video, and they directed me to Pilgrims, which seems to imply and they're invited on any time to dialogue. We'd love to dialogue with Costco, but it seems to apply that they they are saying it's not our responsibility. It's Pilgrims.

What is your reaction to that?

[Speaker 1] Ultimately, their responsibility is built on the promises that they make to their customers and to their members. It is a company, an enterprise that is built on trust and consistency. This is not this has been broken.

They made their promise five years ago after our first investigation in 2021. And they broke that. Costco does not need to reinvent the wheel.

Proven standards and science back measures already exist. Slower growing breeds can meaningfully reduce the suffering that the fast growing breeds endure chronically. Improved living conditions like better litter to reduce infections and the risk of infections and disease spread.

Proper lighting with adequate time for darkness so that chickens can rest. Enrichments to allow for their natural behaviors in their light in their young lives and independent auditing and transparency. These are reasonable and achievable.

Costco just has to make the decision to do it.

[Speaker 2] So let's talk about the government, because if you're organic, certified organic, there are rules that go along with it. As we've talked about access to the outdoors, which your undercover investigator said in his two and a half months, he never saw the chickens get. So the USDA said to Vox it must provide, quote, due process under the law and allowing certified organic farms to come into compliance when problems occur.

So just as a. Person, I would say due process does not happen without some kind of inquiry or investigation in order to gather the facts so that due process can occur. So what is it that you would like to see from the U.S. government?

[Speaker 1] Yes, well, we've already taken this step. Mercy for Animals submitted extensive documented evidence to the USDA and also filed criminal complaint. So they have all the facts needed to act.

And while due process takes time, the reality is consumers shouldn't have to rely on an undercover investigation or a nonprofit to uncover conditions that violate organic standards. And more importantly, I don't think that Costco needs to wait on government bureaucracy. Costco approved this supplier and has direct control over its supply chain right now.

They have the power and responsibility today to enforce real, meaningful standards for the 250 million chickens in their system. The broader issue here is that is the consumer trust. People pay a premium for the USDA organic label, assuming higher standards are being enforced in real time, not after animals have already endured horrific suffering.

And while the government carries out its due process, Costco is the entity driving the demand. Costco promised reform five years ago, and they don't need a lengthy government inquiry to know that beating birds with sticks or burying chicks alive into compost while they're still chirping fall outside of the standard of animal welfare.

[Speaker 2] Because Unchained TV has covered so many undercover investigations by various groups, at one point we called for live cameras inside all slaughterhouses and factory farms. And in fact, the new term for factory farms is animal factories. And we pointed out that Spain and England have some CCTV requirements inside slaughterhouses.

And one member of the state assembly even said that he thought it was a good idea. So what are your thoughts about, because certainly the camera tells the story. That's why your undercover investigation is so powerful, because there's videotape that this undercover investigator took during his two and a half months on this animal factory.

So what are your thoughts about having cameras inside all animal factories and slaughterhouses?

[Speaker 1] It's a great question, and it's a great endeavor. Ultimately, independent auditing and transparency is clearly required, and that is what undercover investigations do. It is not a sustainable thing, and to your point, with the expansiveness of technology and innovation, there are opportunities for us to think about how we can ensure that accountability.

Ultimately, and for this, it's something that Costco has control over in terms of the auditing that can be done and the selection of their suppliers. And that's something that I would ask Costco and other retailers to evaluate and look at.

[Speaker 2] Well, I have to say thank you, Arash, so much for taking time to break down this undercover investigation. We here at Unchained TV, a 501c3 nonprofit, will continue to push ahead for cameras in all animal factories and as well all slaughterhouses. If people are saying, well, there's nothing to hide, then there's nothing to hide.

Let's just see it, right? So perhaps Mercy for Animals would like to join forces with us in our campaign to get cameras, which could be done by a legislative action. I think there are quite a few groups that would go along with it.

So I want to thank you very much for taking the time. Once again, we invite all and any of the companies involved in this issue on. We would love to dialogue with you.

Again, Mercy for Animals is asking for everyone watching to go to CostcoExposed.com and sign the petition. And just a couple more comments. Thank you.

And we can't let the public believe one bad Apple industry propaganda. We've got a couple of more comments. Thank you for all you do.

It's not as easy as people are so disconnected. So hopefully your investigation will further connect people with this issue. Ultimately, it is a consumer issue and consumers, I believe, really need to get educated on what they're purchasing.

Thank you so much. See you next time here on Truth Files with myself on Unchained TV. So it's a vegan Netflix.

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