Tyson Foods, Inc. have ended its ties to a chicken farm in Tennessee after an animal rights group released a video from the farm showing how cruel and harsh chicken were being treated, transported, and slaughtered, according to report from CNN Money.
McDonald's Corp. supported Tyson Foods decision to cut ties with the farm.
Tyson Foods, who supplies McDonald's with the chicken that comes from the farm, responded after Mercy For Animals, an organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies, released the video, according to CNN Money.
The documentary showed how chickens were being clubbed with spiked sticks, jammed into overcrowded conditions, and crushed to death.
A spokesman from Tyson Foods told CNN Money in an emailed statement that they are investigating the issue, but they will be terminating their contract with the farmer.
"Members of our animal well-being team are investigating, however, based on what we currently know, we are terminating the farmer's contract to grow chickens for us," the spokesman said.
The Wall Street Journal adds that the video documentary is the latest revelation of the animal-rights groups, who seek to expose alleged brutal treatment and poor living conditions of animals for commercial use.
These animal-rights group push for better treatment of animals and a strict policy by the meat-buying restaurant and food companies to farms and suppliers who raise and slaughter these animals.
The Wall Street Journal adds that Matt Rice, director of investigations at Mercy For Animals, said that they targeted T&S Farms, the farm who supplied the chickens to Tyson Foods, at random.
Rice said that they sent a member to work in the farm and secretly document the living conditions of the chickens in the farms.
CNN Money adds that Mercy For Animals cited the connection with McDonald's in their news release because of the fast-food chain will be able to demand better standards from its suppliers.
McDonald's enormous purchasing power gives it the ability to demand its suppliers.
CNN Money adds that McDonald's told them in an emailed statement that they condemn the harsh treatment of the chickens.
"We believe treating animals with care and respect is an integral part of a responsible supply chain and find the behavior depicted in this video to be completely unacceptable," McDonald's said. "We support Tyson Foods' decision to terminate their contract with this farmer."
