Walmart Updates Animal Welfare Standards After Pork Distributor Accused Of Animal Abuse

Seaboard Foods, one of the largest pork distributors in America, made headlines earlier this month after a video surfaced allegedly showing animal abuse at pork farms under Seaboard jurisdiction. Just weeks later, Walmart — one of the largest companies that source from Seaboard — has updated its animal welfare policies. Walmart expanded its list of banned animal cruelties to include housing systems that lack sufficient space, enrichment, or socialization; tail docking; castration; and euthanasia/slaughter "without rendering the animal insensible to pain."

"This is a historic and landmark day for the protection of farmed animals in America," said Nathan Runkle, president of Mercy for Animals, the watchdog organization that published the original video showing abuse at the farm tied to Seaboard Foods. "The announcement that Walmart is committed to doing away with many of the cruelest factory farming practices in its supply chain, including the intensive confinement of pigs and other animals, signals an important new era and direction for the company. We are heartened that Walmart not only took notice, but also took action, after egregious cruelty was exposed in its pork supply chain."

Walmart also states that the company is promoting transparency on the issue by requiring distributors to provide animal welfare reports to Walmart on a regular basis, and to report any abuse to authorities.  The Daily Meal has contacted Walmart for more information on the animal welfare update, and to ask if there is any connection to the Seaboard Foods controversy.