URGENT, TYSON'S CHICKENS ARE DYING.......

[Guest guest]

TYSON FOODS :

CHICKENS DIE OF COLD, HUNGER, THIRST, AND

SUFFOCATION.... PLEASE HELP.

 

 

-

Franklin Wade <franklin

Monday, January 08, 2001 10:50 AM

 

http://www.hsus.org/whatnew/arkchickens010301.html

 

Arkansas Chickens and Chicken Farmers Left Out in the Cold

 

January 3, 2001

 

In western Arkansas, thousands of chickens are dying. Some have

escaped from caved-in buildings, others are still trapped inside.

Most have been without food or water for weeks. The first storm

struck on December 13, the second on Christmas day. The roofs caved

in and the power went out, shutting down the feeding and watering

machines. Thousands of chickens living in each building were either

crushed, caught in the wreckage, or forced outside into the freezing

cold.

 

An Unequal " Partnership "

 

The Arkansas farmers who raise chickens generally do so for

corporations such as Tyson Foods, the largest chicken producer in the

country, and Foster Farms. (Some of the other major poultry players

in the area are Cobb-Vantress Inc., Peterson Farms Inc., and Simmons

Foods Inc.) Tyson calls these farmers " growing partners. " Farmers are

contracted to house and care for the birds but do not own them. The

corporations provide birds, supplies, and technical assistance, while

the farmers provide labor and housing.

 

Waiting for Help

 

When the barns collapse, the farming " partners " have no legal right

to move the chickens to a safe place. So while the birds die of cold,

hunger, thirst, and suffocation (from huddling too closely for

warmth), farmers must wait for the corporations to act. Tyson, Foster

Farms, and the other corporations had every reason to be prepared for

this disaster: Less than a year ago, snow and ice storms in the area

destroyed about 500 chicken houses, costing more than $25 million.

Still, the companies don't appear to have created disaster plans for

removing, feeding, watering, or humanely euthanizing their chickens.

 

What You Can Do

 

1. Contact Tyson and Foster Farms. Tell them that they must take

responsibility for their chickens and the chicken

farmers. Say that they MUST :

 

* Create responsible EMERGENCY plans and coordinate them with

state agencies. The plans must include the expeditious removal of

birds to a safe location, caring for them, and-as a last resort-humanely

euthanizing them;

 

* Reduce the number of chickens in chicken houses. Smaller houses

are more structurally sound, and it is much more feasible to evacuate

the birds;

 

* Clean up the contamination caused by the many thousands of dead

birds in the chicken houses and the surrounding grounds. The ground

water will be contaminated as the ice and snow melt.

 

 

2. Send copies of your letters to any of the following: The Poultry

Federation of Arkansas, the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, and

Arkansas legislators Tim Hutchinson and Blanche Lincoln.

 

 

Contact Information

 

Tyson Foods, Inc.

P.O. Box 2020

Springdale, AR 72765 501-290-4000

E-mail via comments

 

Foster Farms Consumer Affairs

P.O. Box 306

Livingston, CA 95334

E-mail via comments

 

The Poultry Federation

Morril Harriman

321 South Victory

Little Rock, AR 72203

 

The U.S. Poultry and Egg Association

Animal Welfare Committee

1530 Cooledge Road

Tucker, GA 30084-7303

 

The Honorable Tim Hutchinson

2527 Federal Building

Little Rock, AR 72201

 

The Honorable Blanche Lincoln

3108 Federal Building

Little Rock, AR 72201

================================

 

Thanks so much for your kindness and help.