The Maschhoffs are the third largest pork producer in the U.S. Go to almost any grocery store and many of the pork brands that you see get some of their meat from The Maschhoffs.

Recently, undercover video from the Animal Legal Defense Fund uncovered horrifying conditions and treatment of their hogs. (video link at bottom)

In addition to the sadistic behavior seen in this video, the Maschhoffs still adhere to extreme confinement practices of hogs. For four months, pregnant, breeding pigs are confined 24 hours a day in gestation crates: tiny cages roughly the same size as the animals’ bodies, so small they are unable to turn around. The pigs are subsequently transferred into another crate to give birth, are then re-impregnated and put back into a gestation crate. This inhumane cycle repeats, pregnancy after pregnancy, for their entire lives, adding up to years of immobilization.

Many in the food industry have recognized the need to end the use of inhumane gestation crates. We believe the time is right for The Maschhoffs do the same. To ensure all animals are treated with kindness and respect, we are calling on The Maschhoffs to adopt/enforce the following animal welfare practices for both family owned and contract farms:

- Phase out the use of gestation crates within a specified time period for both family owned and contract farms; and

- Strictly enforce your zero tolerance policy for all acts of animal abuse, neglect, or failure to provide necessary veterinary care, with reporting of all suspected incidents of abuse and neglect to law enforcement.

Most consumers no longer want to buy meat from farms that support extreme animal confinement. Please help urge the Maschhoffs to do the right thing. Take action by signing and sharing the petition.

Watch the undercover video from the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Photo credit at top: Stock photo