Pure Prairie Poultry in Charles City Addresses Allegations of Animal Mistreatment

Pure Prairie Poultry (PPP) is being questioned about possible animal mistreatment.

According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Public Relations Coordinator Nicole Perreira, PETA received two calls last week from whistleblowers at the Charles City chicken processing plant who allege that workers have confined chickens for multiple days—without any food or water—before killing them. They also claim caged birds were left to bake in the hot sun on trucks and workers haven’t stunned chickens before killing them, which PETA says that means “the birds are conscious and able to feel pain when their throats are slit.”

 Perreira notes that PETA contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) district office in Des Moines on Tuesday (09.10). PETA was told Thursday (09.12) that FSIS is aware of issues and its leadership was meeting with the company’s management.

Pure Prairie Poultry said in a statement, “We encourage our team members to voice concerns, so we can improve. We continue to make animal welfare a priority. While it is our intention to process chickens the same day they arrive at the plant, in recent weeks, due to unforeseen downtime (including from area power outages), this was not always possible. Our operations and quality teams have since met with USDA-FSIS field reps to outline new processes to reduce the risk of this happening in the future.”

 PPP also notes, “Ensuring chickens remain calm and comfortable is our goal. While chickens await processing, we lightly spray them with a cool mist of water to help them stay hydrated and cool. When chickens move to the next phase, they are first rendered unconscious and insensible to pain, using humane, USDA-approved stunning methods. USDA inspectors are present on our production lines while they are running.”

You can read the complete statements from PETA and Pure Prairie Poultry below:

**Pure Prairie Poultry – Company Statement

September 13, 2024 – Charles City, IA

 Recently, concerns were raised about the treatment of chickens at Pure Prairie Poultry. We encourage our team members to voice concerns, so we can improve. We continue to make animal welfare a priority.

 While it is our intention to process chickens the same day they arrive at the plant, in recent weeks, due to unforeseen downtime (including from area power outages), this was not always possible. As a result of this situation, our operations and quality teams have since met with United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) field office representatives to outline new processes to reduce the risk of this happening in the future.

 At each step of the process, ensuring chickens remain calm and comfortable is our goal. While chickens await processing, we lightly spray them with a cool mist of water to help them stay hydrated and cool. When chickens move to the next phase, they are first rendered unconscious and insensible to pain, using humane, USDA-approved stunning methods. Our processes prevent chickens from being harvested without first being rendered unconscious. USDA inspectors are present on our production lines while they are running.

We recognize the faith and trust our customers and consumers place in us to ensure responsible animal welfare; and we take seriously the responsibility we hold for the health and wellbeing for chickens under our care.

**PETA Letter to media (09.13.24)

Hi there. I thought you would be interested to know that PETA has received two calls this week from whistleblowers who report that chickens are suffering and being killed cruelly and painfully at Pure Prairie Poultry in Charles City. The first whistleblower alleged that workers have confined chickens for multiple days—without any food or water—before killing them. The second complainant corroborated this allegation, stating that caged birds were left to bake in the hot sun on trucks. They also reported that most birds arrive at the slaughterhouse injured and that for the past two weeks, workers haven’t stunned chickens before killing them, which means the birds are conscious and able to feel pain when their throats are slit.

 PETA contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) district office in Des Moines on Tuesday. PETA was told just yesterday that FSIS is aware of issues at the slaughterhouse and that its leadership was meeting with the company’s management in Minnesota this week.

 Please let me know if you have any questions or would like more information.

 Best regards,

 Nicole Perreira

Public Relations Coordinator | PETA