Safeway Under Scrutiny Over Shocking Pig Farm Video

PLEASANTON (KCBS) – A national animal rights organization is calling for changes from Pleasanton-based Safeway after releasing an undercover video (WARNING: Graphic) with some disturbing footage from an Iowa farm.

Eddie Garza with Mercy for Animals said the daily abuses captured on video at Iowa Select Farms in Kamrar, Iowa, would shock and horrify most Americans, but are standard practices in much of the pork industry.

"The cruelty witnessed included management training workers to throw piglets across the room, workers ripping out the testicles of conscious pigs, piglets suffering with herniated intestines and conscious piglets having their tails sliced in two and torn off with pliers," said Garza.

KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:

Pregnant sows are also shown confined to crates so small, they can't turn around.

Mercy for Animals urged Safeway to phase out buying pork from suppliers who use gestation crates by 2017.

"The state of California outlawed gestation crates by 2015," said Garza. "So we feel this is a reasonable timeline."

Iowa Select Farms pork is sold at Safeway under the Swift brand name.

Safeway released a statement and called the video "disturbing." They said they have stopped buying from Swift while an investigation is conducted.

On its website, Iowa Select Farms said it's also investigating portions of the video that show "unacceptable animal handling."

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