Quality Pork Accused of “Cruel Treatment” on Production Line

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An animal welfare group has released an undercover video that it says shows cruel treatment of pigs at a Minnesota slaughterhouse that supplies Hormel Foods Corp.

Compassion Over Killing says the video from a Quality Pork Processors plant in Austin shows workers taking inhumane shortcuts to keep slaughter lines moving.

U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman Adam Tarr says the actions depicted in the video are "completely unacceptable." He says the agency will aggressively investigate and take appropriate action if it verifies the video's authenticity.

But the agency disputes the group's claim that a faster inspection system being tried at plant is to blame. It says that system is being used only farther down the production line.

Quality Pork Producers and Hormel did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday.