The Downfall of Plainville Farms: A Cautionary Tale of Animal Abuse and Consumer Backlash

Don’t be misled by marketing claims that animals are raised in a “stress-free” environment and transported in “comfort.” Avoid all animal-derived foods, even supposed humane,” “organic,” and “free-range” meat, eggs, and milk. As long as profit is involved, animal welfare always takes a back seat.

The story of Plainville Farms reveals the consequences when a company’s unethical practices are exposed. This Pennsylvania-based turkey supplier built its brand on claims of “humane” treatment and “stress-free” environments. However undercover investigations in 2021 uncovered horrific animal abuse and deception. The subsequent public outrage and loss of business provides a stark warning for food producers who ignore animal welfare.

The Shocking Truth Revealed

Activist organization PETA sent an investigator to work at Plainville Farms. For three weeks, they documented on video the daily mistreatment of turkeys by workers. The footage showed:

  • Workers viciously kicking, punching, and stomping on turkeys

  • Workers throwing the birds violently by their wings necks and heads

  • Hitting the turkeys with metal rods

  • Mock sexual acts with the birds’ bodies

This cruelty contradicted Plainville’s marketing claims of “humane” practices. The evidence provided irrefutable proof of animal abuse despite the company’s reassuring advertising.

Swift Public Backlash

Once PETA released the undercover videos, public outrage erupted over Plainville’s unethical practices. Advocacy groups picketed Plainville facilities and pushed for legal action. Retailers responded quickly to consumer concerns:

  • Whole Foods immediately pulled all Plainville products from shelves

  • Other major grocery chains like Publix and Wegmans followed suit

  • Plainville was suspended from an animal welfare certification program

This rapid retaliation by both consumers and businesses demonstrated the power of an informed public to unite against factory farm cruelty.

Fallout for Plainville

In the aftermath, Plainville suffered major consequences:

  • 13 employees identified in the videos were terminated

  • The company lost its distribution into thousands of grocery stores

  • Plainville was stripped of its humane certification

  • Its public brand as an ethical turkey producer was destroyed

Additionally, legal charges were filed in multiple counties against Plainville workers. The company was forced into damage control mode but the impact to its operations and profits was already done.

Lessons Learned

The takeaway from Plainville’s downfall is clear. Companies may tout humane practices but if immoral actions are exposed, financial ruin and public shame will follow. Wise businesses invest genuinely in animal welfare rather than relying on misleading marketing alone. Ethical integrity matters to consumers and no producer is immune from scrutiny. When profit motives lead to cruelty, companies will reap what they sow. The Plainville story stands as a cautionary tale for the entire agriculture industry.

what happened to plainville turkey farm

Kicked, Thrown Around, and Bludgeoned at ‘Happy Meat’ Supplier

PETA’s investigator observed crews of turkey catchers, who spend all night catching thousands of turkeys in dusty, crowded sheds and slamming them into metal coops on trucks that haul them to slaughter.

Every night, at every farm the crews worked at, PETA’s investigator saw catchers repeatedly and viciously kick and stomp on dozens of turkeys, many of them sick, injured, weak, or just too lame to stand up.

One crew position is even called “kick”—where the worker is expected to kick turkeys who pass by that point!

Workers grab turkeys—who each weigh more than 40 pounds—by the neck or by a single, fragile wing, pick them up, and throw them around. They hurl the birds at each other and at other turkeys as if it’s a game. One held a garbage bag open like a basketball hoop to toss a bird into.

The men punch and slap the turkeys. One man hit them with a heavy metal rod.

Mimicking Masturbation With an Injured Hen

Workers try to break the birds’ necks by picking them up by the head and repeatedly shaking them up and down, before finally tossing them aside. The turkeys convulse and are left to die in agony. Workers do this even to turkeys who don’t appear ill or injured—apparently just to amuse themselves.

A worker picked up one of these birds and put her between his legs. Holding her by her injured neck, he mimicked masturbation then dropped her on the floor, kicked her, and left her to die. There she lay in agony, next to another hen tossed aside like garbage.

A few nights later, the same worker put another hen between his legs and thrust his pelvis back and forth.

Turkeys who survive all the abuse are forced onto a conveyor belt and slammed into severely crowded metal coops on open-sided trucks.

If the turkeys struggle, workers smash them against the coops and yell, “Mátalo!” (“Kill it!” in Spanish).

11 turkey farm workers charged with animal cruelty

FAQ

Who bought Plainville Farms?

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – August 3, 2024 – Regent, LP (“Regent”) announced today the completion of its full exit from Plainville Farms (“Plainville”), an industry-leading processor of organic and antibiotic-free poultry products to The Wenger Group (“Wenger”).

What are the charges at Plainville Farms?

Pennsylvania State Police charged 12 former Plainville Farms workers with a total of 141 counts of cruelty to animals, the largest number in any farmed-animal case in U.S. history. Broadcast-quality video footage from PETA’s investigation is available here.

Are Plainville Farms turkeys organic?

Our plump and juicy Plainville Farms® Organic Fresh Young Turkey is an uncommonly delicious natural* whole turkey that comes ready to prepare. Our turkeys are humanely raised** on family farms, fed a vegetarian diet of organic grains†, and are never ever given antibiotics or added growth hormones* or steroids.

Does Plainville turkey have nitrates?

No nitrates or nitrites added. Except naturally occurring in sea salt. Lean. Organic turkey raised is never ever given antibiotics.

What happened at Plainville farms?

Update (August 9, 2023): Victory! Multiple defendants have pleaded guilty to cruelty-to-animals charges that law-enforcement authorities filed for the abuse that PETA’s investigator witnessed while working for Plainville Farms.

Are Plainville turkeys humanely raised?

Plainville continues to advertise its turkeys as “humanely raised” in a “stress-free environment,” even after the company was suspended from an animal welfare and labeling program run by Global Animal Partnership.

Where are Plainville turkeys sold?

The company’s turkey products are sold at supermarket chains including Publix and Wegmans. Plainville employs about 600 workers and slaughtered about 90 million live pounds of turkey last year, according to WATT PoultryUSA, a trade publication.

Did Plainville farms workers mistreat birds?

The PETA investigator worked on a Plainville Farms crew for about three weeks and captured graphic video that appeared to show workers mistreating the birds.

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