On Monday, March 16th, an 87-minute documentary called Death on a Factory Farm will air on HBO at 10pm with 20 additional presentations through April 1.
 
The documentary focuses on the treatment of animals on an Ohio hog farm in 2007 and will present the results of an investigation conducted by a group called the Humane Farming Association (HFA).
 
At the request of HFA, an individual obtained employment at the farm for the purpose of using a hidden camera to document mistreatment of animals.
 
Further, the documentary covers the 2007 court case where the owner of the farm, his son and an employee were charged on 10 criminal charges of animal cruelty. The situation depicted on the documentary was investigated thoroughly and resolved by the Ohio court system. Of the 10 criminal charges alleging animal cruelty, one culminated in a conviction.
 
The treatment of the animals depicted on the HBO documentary is not representative of how responsible pork producers care for their animals.

The National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, Ohio Pork Producers Council, American Association of Swine Veterinarians and state pork associations have worked together on an industry-wide response to this issue.
 
Our industry's response is clear: Responsible pork producers have zero tolerance for willful acts of neglect or abuse of animals in their care.  Responsible pork producers care about their animals and recognize they have both a moral and ethical obligation to protect and promote animal well-being.
 
Responsible pork producers hold themselves to the production standards that are consistent with the Ethical Principles for U.S. Pork Producers.
Animal Well-Being: We affirm our obligation to protect and promote animal well-being. 
·         Provide feed, water and an environment that promotes the well-being of our animals.
·         Provide proper care, handling and transportation for pigs at each stage of life.
·         Protect pig health and provide appropriate treatment, including veterinary care, when needed.
·         Use approved practices to euthanize, in a timely manner, those sick or injured pigs that fail to respond to care and treatment.
 
In addition to our Ethical Principles, we also demonstrate our commitment to animal care, well-being and pork safety by achieving certification and implementing current best management practices of the Pork Quality Assurance Plus® and Transport Quality Assurance® programs which help ensure those who work most closely with the animals are providing the best possible care.