Animal-advocacy organization Mercy For Animals filed a false advertising complaint earlier this month against Foster Farms and the American Humane Association alleging that the poultry company misleads consumers by claiming its chicken is “humane.” The complaint, filed with the Federal Trade Commission, comes after undercover footage of animal-rights abuses recorded at two Foster Farms facilities in Fresno last month that shows employees punching chickens before aggressively shackling them, grinding or suffocating unwanted baby chicks, and scalding birds alive because the chickens missed the slaughter blade. “There is nothing humane about beating, throwing, shocking, and scalding animals alive,” MFA president Nathan Runkle said. “The American Humane Association and Foster Farms must stop deceiving consumers and take meaningful action to end the factory farming industry’s cruelest practices. Claiming meat from abused animals is ‘humane’ is both offensive and illegal.” The AHA certifies other companies—such as Butterball and Hillandale Farms—that have also been shown on video committing animal-rights abuses. This federal complaint is part of MFA’s “American Humane Scam” campaign aimed at reducing chicken suffering by increasing AHA’s certification standards.

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