WHAT'S NEXT

  1. Signatures
    15,545 out of 25,000
    Petitioning
    1. CEO, Smithfield (C. Larry Pope)
  2. Created By
    The Humane Society of The United States
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Dec 08, 2011

After more than 15,000 people joined The Humane Society of the United States' campaign on Change.org, Smithfield Foods has agreed to phase out the use of all gestation crates in its facilities by 2017! The company had originally set the deadline as part of a 2007 announcement, but delayed their plans in 2009. Now they've heard from consumers around the world who object to cruel confinement of pigs.

Wayne Pacelle, President of The Humane Society of the United States, stated, “Smithfield’s recommitment is an important and welcome move. With the company back on track with its phase-out, we’re getting closer to the day when the cruel confinement of pigs in gestation crates will be a bygone era for the entire hog industry.” Pacelle continued, “We recognize Smithfield’s recommitment as progress and urge its competitors such as Tyson, Hormel, Triumph, Prestage, Seaboard, and others to stop lagging behind and follow suit by adopting similar policies.”

An HSUS undercover investigator recently documented the suffering endured by female breeding pigs held in severely restrictive gestation crates on a factory farm operated by a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, in Waverly, Virginia. Gestation crates are exceptionally cruel and have been banned by the European Union, New Zealand and seven U.S. states. In 2007, Smithfield said it would phase out the use of gestation crates by 2017, yet in 2009 it said it could no longer meet its self-imposed and very lenient deadline.

Many of these highly intelligent and inquisitive pigs develop pressure sores and infections from crate-related injuries and from simply lying in the same position without relief. Out of sheer boredom, they engage in repetitive behaviors — such as bar biting and head swaying — sometimes injuring themselves in the process.

TAKE ACTION
Please send C. Larry Pope, CEO of Smithfield, a message urging him to recommit to the company's original promise and stop the use of these inhumane gestation crates on Smithfield's factory farms by 2017.

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Honor your word - no more gestation crates by 2017

Greetings,

In 2007 Smithfield promised to stop putting female breeding pigs in horrible metal gestation crates on all of its farms by 2017--a very lenient, self-imposed deadline. In 2009 you stated you could no longer meet that deadline, despite the fact that Smithfield just reported its most profitable quarter ever. I am sickened by the video taken by The Humane Society of the United States on one of your factory farms in Virginia. The images of the pigs' miserable existence in the tiny crates that don't even allow them to turn around will stay with me as will the wounds and injuries they suffer as a result of this extreme life-long confinement.

[Your name]

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