Undercover Investigations of U.S. Factory Farms: Tyson Chicken, Fairlife Dairy, and Smithfield Hogs, and What Research Shows

What did undercover investigations of U.S. factory farms reveal? Hidden-camera and drone investigations of a Tyson chicken farm supplying McDonald’s, a dairy supplying Coca-Cola’s Fairlife brand, and Smithfield hog operations in North Carolina documented animal abuse and manure lagoons that led companies to cut ties with suppliers and helped fuel lawsuits. Research links fast-growing broiler breeds to leg problems and large hog operations to antibiotic-resistant bacteria and neighborhood health complaints.

Most meat, milk, and eggs in the United States come from large, concentrated animal feeding operations, often called CAFOs or factory farms. Because these facilities are closed to the public, much of what Americans know about conditions inside comes from undercover investigations by animal protection groups and from aerial footage shot by journalists and activists. Several investigations in the 2010s became national news, prompting corporate responses, consumer lawsuits, and state laws aimed at stopping such filming. This article reviews three prominent cases, what scientific research says about the welfare and public health issues they raised, and what consumers can do with this information.

What Did the Tyson Chicken Farm Video Show?

In 2015, the animal protection group Mercy For Animals released hidden-camera footage from a Tennessee chicken farm that raised birds for Tyson Foods, which supplied McDonald’s. The video showed workers kicking and beating birds and handling them roughly. Tyson ended its contract with the farm, and McDonald’s said it would stop accepting chicken from that supplier. The episode added momentum to campaigns pressing large restaurant chains to adopt broader chicken welfare standards, including slower-growing breeds, more space, and less painful slaughter methods. Many companies made such pledges in the following years, though progress in meeting them has been uneven.

Why Do Fast-Growing Chickens Have Welfare Problems?

Modern broiler chickens have been bred to grow extraordinarily quickly. A 2008 study in PLoS One by Toby Knowles and colleagues noted that broiler growth rates increased by more than 300 percent over 50 years, from about 25 to 100 grams per day. The researchers assessed the walking ability of 51,000 birds representing 4.8 million chickens in 176 commercial flocks in the United Kingdom. At an average age of 40 days, more than 27.6 percent had poor locomotion and 3.3 percent were almost unable to walk, despite culling of severely lame birds. The main risk factors were linked to rapid growth, along with higher stocking density and shorter dark periods. The authors noted that solutions would likely slow growth and production, raising questions about the sustainability of current practices for roughly 20 billion broilers raised worldwide each year.

What Happened at Fair Oaks Farms and Fairlife?

In 2019, the group Animal Recovery Mission released undercover video from Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana, a large dairy operation that also ran an agritourism center and supplied milk for Fairlife, a premium ultra-filtered milk brand marketed with claims about animal care and partly owned by Coca-Cola. The footage showed workers kicking, hitting, and roughly handling young calves. Several grocery chains pulled Fairlife products, some workers were fired and faced charges, and Fair Oaks announced new monitoring and training. Consumers later filed class actions alleging that Fairlife’s animal welfare marketing was misleading, and the company agreed to a settlement in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing. The case showed how premium brands built on welfare claims are especially vulnerable when footage contradicts their marketing.

What Did Drone Footage of Smithfield Hog Farms Show?

Aerial footage of eastern North Carolina, where millions of hogs are raised in large confinement barns, showed open pits called lagoons holding liquid manure and fields where the waste is sprayed onto crops, sometimes close to homes. Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork producer, operates in the region through its subsidiary Murphy-Brown and contract growers. In 2018, juries in a series of federal nuisance lawsuits brought by neighbors found Murphy-Brown liable for odors, flies, and truck traffic that interfered with residents’ use of their property, and awarded damages that were reduced by state caps; an appeals court later upheld liability in the first case. North Carolina then passed laws limiting such nuisance suits against farms.

Do Hog Farms Affect Neighbors’ Health?

Research suggests effects on quality of life and possibly health, though causation is debated. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Public Health by Rachel Avery Horton, Steve Wing, and colleagues followed 101 adults living within 1.5 miles of industrial hog operations in eastern North Carolina and found that stronger odor was associated with higher stress and negative mood. A 2018 commentary in the North Carolina Medical Journal by Virginia Guidry and colleagues described how hog operations in the state are concentrated in low-income communities and communities of color, framing the issue as one of environmental justice. A separate 2018 analysis reported higher rates of several causes of death and hospitalizations in communities near hog operations; a 2022 reanalysis in Frontiers in Veterinary Science by Kaushi Kanankege and colleagues argued that such ecological studies suffer from confounding and overestimated exposure, noting that conditions unrelated to hog farms were also elevated in those areas, reflecting broader health disparities.

Can Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Spread From Livestock Farms?

Evidence suggests they can. A 2013 study in JAMA Internal Medicine by Joan Casey and colleagues examined primary care patients in Pennsylvania and found that people in the highest quartile of exposure to swine manure applied to crop fields had 38 percent higher odds of community-associated MRSA, 30 percent higher odds of health care-associated MRSA, and 37 percent higher odds of skin and soft-tissue infections, with risk rising across exposure levels. A 2015 study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine by Maya Nadimpalli and colleagues followed North Carolina hog workers and found that livestock-associated, antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus could persist in some workers’ noses even after time away from work, a possible route into households and communities. These findings are part of why the FDA ended the use of medically important antibiotics for growth promotion in livestock in 2017.

What Are “Ag-Gag” Laws?

After undercover videos drew public attention, several states passed laws making it a crime to take jobs at farms under false pretenses in order to film, or to record inside agricultural facilities without permission. Supporters argued the laws protect property rights, biosecurity, and farmers from misleading footage. Critics, including journalists and civil liberties groups, argued they suppress whistleblowing about animal cruelty, food safety, and worker conditions. Federal courts have struck down all or parts of these laws in several states, including Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, and North Carolina, on free speech grounds, while other provisions remain in effect. The legal fight reflects how much public knowledge of farm conditions depends on these investigations.

Are Undercover Videos a Fair Picture of Farming?

They show real events but not necessarily typical ones. Investigators often film for weeks and release the most disturbing moments, and industry groups argue that individual workers’ misconduct does not represent the practices of most farms. On the other hand, some practices shown in videos, such as rapid growth, crowding, and manure lagoons, are standard parts of the industry rather than isolated abuses. Many investigations have led to criminal charges against workers, retraining, and changes in company policies, which suggests they identified genuine problems. Viewers can weigh videos alongside independent audits, scientific research on welfare, and company disclosures to form a fuller picture.

How Do Animal Welfare Labels Compare?

Label	What it generally means	Verification
“Natural”	Minimally processed, no artificial ingredients; nothing about animal care	USDA definition for meat; no farm audit
“Free-range” (poultry)	Some outdoor access, which may be limited	USDA claim review; limited standards
USDA Organic	Organic feed, outdoor access, no antibiotics or added hormones	Annual certification
Certified Humane, Global Animal Partnership	Specific space, enrichment, and handling standards; higher tiers include slower-growing breeds or pasture	Third-party audits
Animal Welfare Approved	Pasture-based, independent family farms	Third-party audits; among the strictest standards

What Can Consumers Do?

Several practical options exist. Look for third-party welfare certifications rather than vague words like natural or humanely raised. Buy from local farms where you can ask about practices or visit. Choose products from slower-growing chicken breeds when available. Eat smaller portions of meat and dairy or more plant-based meals, which reduces demand for intensive production. Support policies on antibiotic stewardship, manure management, and worker protections. Consumer choices alone cannot change an entire industry, but large buyers such as restaurant chains have changed practices in response to public pressure.

Do Large Livestock Operations Affect Water Quality?

They can. Manure contains nitrogen, phosphorus, bacteria, and sometimes antibiotic residues, and when lagoons leak, overflow, or manure is applied to fields faster than crops can use it, these can reach streams and groundwater. Hurricanes have caused dramatic examples: during Hurricane Florence in 2018, flooding in eastern North Carolina breached or overtopped dozens of hog lagoons and swamped many more, releasing waste into floodwaters. Nutrient runoff from livestock and crop fields contributes to algal blooms and low-oxygen dead zones in waterways. Rural residents who rely on private wells near heavy manure application may face higher nitrate levels and should test their water regularly.

How Do Farm and Slaughterhouse Workers Fare?

Workers in animal agriculture face significant hazards. Poultry and meatpacking jobs involve fast line speeds, repetitive motions, sharp tools, and cold, wet conditions, leading to high rates of musculoskeletal injuries. Workers in confinement barns breathe air containing dust, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide, which can cause respiratory problems, and they may carry livestock-associated bacteria, as the North Carolina hog worker study showed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, outbreaks in meatpacking plants infected thousands of workers. Many workers are immigrants or members of low-income communities with limited power to raise concerns, which is one reason undercover investigations sometimes document both animal and worker mistreatment.

Why Is U.S. Animal Agriculture So Concentrated?

Over the past half century, livestock production shifted from many small, diversified farms to fewer, much larger specialized operations. Economies of scale, cheaper feed, advances in genetics and veterinary care, and contracts with large meat companies made it possible to raise more animals with less labor and lower cost per pound. Consumers benefited from cheaper meat, eggs, and milk. The trade-offs include more animals in confinement, large volumes of manure concentrated in small areas, greater reliance on a few breeds, and market power concentrated among a handful of processors. These structural features explain why the problems documented in investigations tend to recur across different companies and regions rather than being limited to a few bad actors.

What Role Do Contract Growers Play?

In the chicken and hog industries, large companies such as Tyson and Smithfield usually own the animals, feed, and processing plants, while independent contract growers build and run the barns. Growers take on debt for facilities and are paid based on performance compared with other growers, while the companies set many of the rules for how animals are raised. When investigations reveal problems at contract farms, companies often respond by ending the contract, which places consequences on the grower while the underlying system continues. Critics argue that accountability for welfare and environmental standards should rest more with the companies that control production, while industry groups say growers are responsible for day-to-day care.

How Did Companies Respond to These Investigations?

Responses followed a common pattern: cutting ties with the farm shown, announcing audits or training, and in some cases adopting broader policies. After a wave of investigations and campaigns, many restaurant and food companies signed on to the Better Chicken Commitment, which calls for slower-growing breeds, more space, enrichment, and less stressful slaughter methods by set deadlines; progress reports show uneven implementation, and some companies have delayed or withdrawn pledges. Dairy companies expanded third-party animal care programs and camera monitoring. Pork producers have faced pressure over gestation crates for pregnant sows, and California’s Proposition 12, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023, requires more space for breeding pigs whose meat is sold in the state.

Does Animal Welfare Affect Food Safety?

Sometimes. Stressed, crowded animals can shed more pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, and poor sanitation in barns and transport can spread infection. Rough handling and injuries can increase bruising and contamination at slaughter. At the same time, food safety depends heavily on processing plant controls, testing, and proper cooking at home, so higher-welfare products are not automatically safer. Thorough cooking of poultry to 165°F (74°C), avoiding cross-contamination in the kitchen, and following recalls remain essential regardless of how animals were raised.

What About Dairy Practices Beyond Abuse Cases?

Standard dairy practices raise welfare questions even when no abuse occurs. Calves are typically separated from their mothers shortly after birth, many dairy cows are housed indoors year-round, and painful procedures such as dehorning have often been done without pain relief, though industry guidelines increasingly recommend it. Lameness and mastitis are common health problems in high-producing herds. Certifications such as Animal Welfare Approved and some organic programs require pasture access and other standards, and readers interested in alternative dairy sourcing may also be interested in our article on raw milk, which explains why pasteurization remains important regardless of how cows are raised.

Common Myths

“Undercover videos show staged abuse.” Many investigations have led to criminal charges and company actions, confirming real events.

“Every farm is like the videos.” Individual abuse varies by farm; industry-wide practices such as fast growth and crowding are more consistent.

“Natural meat means better animal welfare.” The natural label says nothing about how animals were raised.

“Antibiotic resistance from farms only affects farmworkers.” Studies link manure exposure to infections in nearby communities.

“Ag-gag laws are settled law.” Courts have struck down all or parts of several of these laws.

Key Terms

CAFO: Concentrated animal feeding operation, a large facility housing many animals in confinement.

Broiler: A chicken raised for meat.

Manure lagoon: An open pit storing liquid animal waste.

MRSA: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium resistant to many antibiotics.

Ag-gag law: A state law restricting undercover recording at agricultural facilities.

The Bottom Line

Undercover and aerial investigations of a Tyson chicken farm supplying McDonald’s, a Fair Oaks dairy supplying Fairlife, and Smithfield-linked hog operations in North Carolina exposed animal abuse and environmental problems that led companies to drop suppliers, prompted lawsuits and settlements, and fueled debates over ag-gag laws. Research supports several of the concerns they raised: fast-growing broiler breeds have widespread leg problems, and living near heavy livestock manure is linked to antibiotic-resistant infections and odor-related stress. Consumers can look for third-party welfare certifications, eat less but better-sourced meat and dairy, and support stronger oversight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Tyson and McDonald’s chicken farm video show?

In 2015, Mercy For Animals released hidden-camera footage from a Tennessee farm raising chickens for Tyson Foods, which supplied McDonald’s. Workers were shown kicking, beating, and roughly handling birds. Tyson ended its contract with the farm, and McDonald’s said it would stop accepting chicken from that supplier. The case added pressure on chains to adopt stronger chicken welfare standards.

What happened with Fairlife and Fair Oaks Farms?

A 2019 undercover video at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana, a major supplier for the Coca-Cola-backed Fairlife milk brand, showed calves being abused. Retailers pulled Fairlife products, some workers were fired and charged, and the farm added monitoring. Consumers later sued over Fairlife’s animal welfare marketing, and the company settled in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing.

Are hog farms harmful to people living nearby?

Studies in North Carolina link odor from hog operations to higher stress and negative mood in neighbors, and research in Pennsylvania linked heavy swine manure exposure to higher odds of MRSA infections. Some analyses reported higher death and hospitalization rates near hog farms, but a reanalysis argued those findings may reflect broader health disparities. Juries have found a Smithfield subsidiary liable for nuisance.

Why do broiler chickens have trouble walking?

Breeding for rapid growth has quadrupled broiler growth rates over 50 years. In a UK survey of 51,000 birds, more than 27.6 percent showed poor walking ability and 3.3 percent could barely walk by 40 days of age, with risk linked mainly to fast growth, crowding, and short dark periods. Slower-growing breeds and better management reduce these problems.

How can I buy meat from better-treated animals?

Look for third-party certifications such as Certified Humane, Global Animal Partnership (higher tiers), or Animal Welfare Approved, which audit farms for specific standards. Terms like “natural” say nothing about welfare. Buying from local farms you can ask about, choosing slower-growing chicken, and eating less but higher-welfare meat are practical steps.

References

1. Knowles TG, Kestin SC, Haslam SM, et al. Leg disorders in broiler chickens: prevalence, risk factors and prevention. PLoS One. 2008;3(2):e1545. PMID 18253493
2. Casey JA, Curriero FC, Cosgrove SE, et al. High-density livestock operations, crop field application of manure, and risk of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in Pennsylvania. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2013;173(21):1980–1990. PMID 24043228
3. Nadimpalli M, Rinsky JL, Wing S, et al. Persistence of livestock-associated antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among industrial hog operation workers in North Carolina over 14 days. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2015;72(2):90–99. PMID 25200855
4. Horton RA, Wing S, Marshall SW, et al. Malodor as a trigger of stress and negative mood in neighbors of industrial hog operations. American Journal of Public Health. 2009;99(Suppl 3):S610–S615. PMID 19890165
5. Guidry VT, Rhodes SM, Woods CG, et al. Connecting environmental justice and community health: effects of hog production in North Carolina. North Carolina Medical Journal. 2018;79(5):324–328. PMID 30228142
6. Kanankege KST, Traynor I, Perez AM. A reanalysis: do hog farms cause disease in North Carolina neighborhoods? Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2022;9:1052306. PMID 36845665

Last updated: October 10, 2026