The owners of DiGiorno - the nation's
largest frozen pizza company - have said that they have cut all ties
with a Wisconsin dairy farm after undercover video revealed sickening
abuse against the cows kept there.
The
footage, shot by animals rights group Mercy for Animals last month,
shows workers at Wiese Brothers Farm in Greenleaf, beating the cows and
dragging them with ropes from tractors - leaving them with gaping,
bleeding wounds.
Nestlé,
who owns DiGiorno frozen pizza, confirmed today that they will no
longer use any use cheese for their pizza from any firm supplied with
milk by Wiese Brothers - as it emerged that the Wisconsin firm has fired
two staff and that police are investigating the family firm. Swiss food giant Nestlé moved quickly
to sever any links between them and Wiese Brothers and a spokesperson
for their pizza division said they are 'outraged and deeply saddened by
the mistreatment of animals shown in this video.'
They
confirmed that they have instructed their cheese supplier, Foremost
Farms USA, that Nestlé 'will not accept any cheese made with milk from
the Wiese Brothers Farm.'
After viewing the horrific video
which shows cows hanging from ropes and blistered with seeping sores,
Foremost Farms USA declared themselves to be 'extremely disappointed.'
'To
protect consumer trust and confidence in the dairy industry, we have
discontinued receiving milk from the farm depicted in the video.'
Faced with a public relations
disaster, the Wiese family said that they were 'shocked and saddened' at
the footage and added they have 'zero tolerance for animal abuse.' They
confirmed that the two employees seen in the video had been fired and a
third removed from 'animal handling' responsibilities.
'Further action will be taken if the investigation warrants it,' said the statement.
The
local sheriff's department in Greenleaf said that they are
investigating the alleged abuse and will be pressing charges if
warranted.
The video
was shot undercover by a representative of the animal rights group Mercy
for Animals in October and November and was then handed over to NBC News.
'No socially responsible corporation
should support dairy operations that beat, kick, mutilate and neglect
animals,' said MFA’s executive director, Nathan Runkle.
'Due
to its complete lack of meaningful animal welfare standards, DiGiorno
has allowed a culture of cruelty to flourish in its cheese supply
chain.' The gruesome
video reveals repeated examples of cruelty towards the livestock at
Wiese Brothers farm as bleeding animals are beaten with sticks or kicked
and dragged by their legs or necks.
Speaking to NBC News, one livestock expert said the video showed unequivocal evidence of abuse.
'Dragging
live cows, and completely suspending them with the cow lift is severe
animal abuse,' said Temple Grandin, an associate professor of livestock
behavior at Colorado State University and an animal welfare adviser to
the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
