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" McDonald's and Target dropped one of the nation's largest egg suppliers after an animal rights group released an undercover video of the egg producer's farms in three states. McDonald's Corp. said Friday it had dropped Sparboe Farms as a supplier after a video by the group Mercy for Animals showed cases of animal cruelty at five facilities in Iowa, Minnesota and Colorado. Target Corp. soon followed, saying it would pull eggs from the Litchfield, Minn.-based company off its shelves. "Having been made aware of the unacceptable conditions in the company's egg laying facilities, effective immediately, Target will discontinue its business relationship with Sparboe Farms," Minneapolis-based Target said in a statement late Friday. Sparboe produces 300 million eggs a year, in regular, liquid, frozen and dried form, and ships them to restaurants and stores across the country. The company's Vincent, Iowa, plant had billed itself as the sole fresh egg supplier to every McDonald's west of the Mississippi River. McDonald's officials say Sparboe was a "significant" supplier and that it was unclear when, or if, the company would work with the Golden Arches again. Sparboe's Iowa facility produced 2 million eggs a day, seven days a week. That changed Friday when images shot by Mercy for Animals showed a worker swinging a bird around by its feet, hens packed into cramped cages, male chicks being tossed into plastic bags to suffocate and workers cutting off the tips of chicks' beaks. "The behavior on tape is disturbing and completely unacceptable. McDonald's wants to assure our customers that we demand humane treatment of animals by our suppliers," Bob Langert, McDonald's vice president for sustainability, said in a statement. The nation's largest retailer — Bentonville, Ark.- based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. — also bought Sparboe eggs and has been demanding that suppliers treat their chickens humanely for years. Wal-Mart said it stopped working with Sparboe six weeks ago and that its decision had "nothing to do with animal welfare concerns," said Dianna Gee, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman. She declined to discuss why Sparboe was dropped. McDonald's and other fast-food chains and grocery stores have been studying how chickens are caged and cared for in its egg farms. The Humane Society has persuaded several national food outlets, including Burger King, Costco Wholesale, Denny's and Wendy's/Arby's Group, to buy at least some of their eggs from producers that allow hens to roam. McDonald's and Target's moves also followed a warning letter to Sparboe Farms dated Wednesday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that said inspectors found "serious violations" at five Sparboe facilities of federal regulations meant to prevent salmonella. The warning said eggs from those facilities "have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health." McDonald's eggs were safe because they were cooked thoroughly, and none of its operations will be affected by Sparboe, company spokeswoman Lisa McComb said Saturday. About 27 million Americans eat at McDonald's each day. Sparboe Companies LLC said Saturday it would create a task force to review the company's food safety and animal care." - AP



Breaks my heart to see how much pain these animals have to go through just so we can eat...

KFC FTW...Not that i think they treat there chickens any better but it all just tastes so finger lickin good

McDonalds is also responsible for the destruction of mankinds tastebuds.

If you think about it, chickens that are slaughtered probably die and take a new life as a human being. If you know what I'm trying to get at, but this is still pathetic and hard to watch

I've been considering becoming a vegetarian too, but only because US congress said that pizza is now a vegetable :carling:

I don't think i'll eat at McDonalds anymore, hardly liked it anyway since the I found 100% Beef was a company name! False advertising. Although on the other hand these probably happens a lot more in high up restaurants. Just the way the world is working atm. It's a real shame, the guy swinging it round i'd love to swing him around or tie him to the back of the car.

I literally just had a slice of pizza a minute ago. You can still eat pizza without the pepperonis unless you are a straight up raw Vegan.

I usually don't comment on comments that are always a week old but thats bull shit you know? McDonalds did know how they treat them. Also if you read my comment on the bottom of page 1 you will see more detail.

What ever happened and whatever you said I just know that i love McDonald and love to eat there.

Thank god im not a fast food fan.