Tyson foods along with three other major companies control the majority of poultry in the United States. But in recent years Americans have started to become increasingly more aware of unethical behaviors towards animals. These practices are most prevalent in the chicken poultry industry because of their widespread consumption. Chicken is the most consumed meat in the United States and they are slaughtered more than any other animal. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture "in 2013 57.7 pounds of chicken per person on a boneless, edible basis were available for Americans to eat, compared to 53.6 pounds of beef and 43.4 pounds of pork" (Economic Research Service). It is no secret that industrialization is a major part of the United States past and present. This is no different in the meat industry, large corporations like Tyson have controlled the meat industry for a number of years. While many other companies work more with beef, pork, or fish Tyson is the leading producer of chicken in the country. “With a 25% market share, Tyson Foods is the biggest chicken producer in the US. The business manufactures a variety of poultry products, such as duck, turkey, and chicken.” (U.S. Important Data)

The problem with big corporations controlling the meat industry is that the animals  they feed and slaughter experience horrific conditions. Animals are exploited by these corporations because the people profiting on them are not truthful about what really goes on in their factories. Because of the recent uprise in animal rights organizations Americans are able to get a glimpse of where their food comes from. As opposed to farms we see in our communities where animals are grazing on open land, most of the chicken we consume comes from big industry-factory farms. “Most factory-farmed chickens are not allowed to spend time outdoors, confined instead to crowded indoor sheds for the vast majority of their lives.” (The humane league) Chickens also experience abuse from factory workers and farm employees. Tyson has been under pressure for many years now as first hand accounts from employees and videos provide evidence that they are guilty of animal mistreatment. “In a video, the workers could be seen throwing, punching, kicking, swinging, and shoving chickens into sheds and cages” (Animal Welfare Instutute) The unsettling video posted in 2017 lead to an investigation and seven Tyson employees being charged with animal cruelty. This is not the only example of abuse that we have seen from the Tyson corporation, there are many more instances of disturbing behavior towards chickens and other animals. 

Another ethical issue with this treatment is how humans are affected by these processes. People living near these big industry farms are subject to air pollution caused by unsanitary conditions like waste and bacteria. Runoff carries waste from the farms into streams where the water sources are contaminated. This is particularly concerning because most people living near these areas live in rural communities, they are often poor or people or color as well. Consuming meat from big corporations also contributes to food poisoning. Diseased chickens are treated with antibiotics which cause the bacteria to develop a resistance to medication. Chicken is one of the most common foods that cause food borne illness in the United States. E-coli affects hundreds of thousands of Americans every year and can even lead to death. Employees of the industry farms are affected especially because of the trauma they experience. Working in these conditions can be hard to deal with, causing mental health problems because of the ongoing suffering of animals and the intense manual labor. Many of the employees working for Tyson and other major corporations are migrant workers who make very little money for such a difficult job. “It can set the market conditions in which it operates, including unsafe conditions for its workers and air and water contaminated by chicken waste.” (Union of Concerned Scientists) Farmers of local communities with smaller operations are affected by big corporations because they are not able to produce as much meat. Farm raised animals are given land to graze and not stuck in small confined spaces. Land is expensive and when animal needs are meant it is not cost effective for the smaller farms. People always like to get the cheapest prices so they will typically purchase meat from big industries. It is also hard to avoid meat from big industries when you get food at a restaurant and don’t know where it is coming from. “Factory farming, with its inherent competitive advantage, makes the production of food an increasingly challenging business for independent family farms.” (Sentient food) It is a major problem when farmers who are the cornerstone of the United States are neglected by the government for economic growth through industrialization.

Consumers in the United States have been exposed to the unethical farming practices of Tyson food in recent years. Action has been taken against the company by the government, consumers, activists, and even shareholders within the company. They have faced scrutiny over their harsh treatment of animals and have faced lawsuits for different reasons. The company was sued last year for making false claims about being environmentally friendly. Claiming that their practices were good for the climate and the emissions would reach net-zero by 2050. “Tyson Foods alone has greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that exceed those of Austria or Greece.” (Earth Justice) This is a blatant lie and they are finally being called out for lying to the American people. Most recently they settled an $85 million dollar lawsuit after they were accused of inflating the price of meat for a number of years. “Tyson Foods agreed to pay $85 million to settle a lawsuit by consumers who accused the largest U.S. meat company of conspiring with rivals to inflate pork prices by limiting supply in the $20 billion U.S. market.” (NBC News) Tyson food’s unethical business practices are finally being brought to light but there still is more that needs to be done.