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This is the true cost of your $4.99 Rotisserie Chicken…
Costco is being sued for false advertising over “no preservatives” labeling despite containing sodium phosphate and carrageenan.
But this is hardly a story once you look at the full picture: Costco has a nearly entirely vertically integrated CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) processes over 100 million chickens annually.
They opened Lincoln Premium Poultry (LPP), a $450 million facility in Fremont, Nebraska.
This facility processes 2 million birds per week.
Each barn houses between 40,000-47,500 chickens.
Modern day factory farming prioritizes selection for rapid growth, with birds often reaching over 6 pounds in just 42 days.
Costco reports losing approximately 7.2 million chickens per year before they even reach slaughter…
It isn’t the first time this has been exposed: video released in 2021 showing LPP farms:
- Chickens in overcrowded, dimly lit sheds
- Birds with legs collapsing under their own weight due to rapid growth
- Untreated injuries and open sores
- Birds stuck on their backs, unable to right themselves, trampled by other chickens
- Dead and dying chickens left in the barns
Costco’s general counsels response said that the video depicted “normal and uneventful activity”
As the saying goes, “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is”
Pay the premium for what is right: shop local.
Comment “bird” for my chicken map
Transcript
This is becoming one of the most disappointing rabbit holes we have ever seen with our food. In case you missed it, Costco is being sued for false advertising of no preservatives, but this is hardly the full story. When you look at the full picture, there is something much more concerning going on here. Costco's chicken supply is nearly entirely vertically integrated now in concentrated animal feeding operations that process over 100,000,000 chickens annually. Their $450,000,000 facility in Fremont, No processes 2,000,000 birds per week. Each of these barns can house over 40,000 chickens. Modern factory farming prioritizes selection for rapid growth with birds reaching over six pounds in just forty two days. It isn't the first time these conditions have been uncovered. Costco reports losing approximately 7,200,000 chickens per year before they even reach slaughter. These videos were taken undercover at one of Costco's farms, and it's not looking good. Chickens in overcrowded, dimly lit sheds. Birds have their legs collapsing under their own weight due to being so oversized. Video even showed birds stuck on their backs, unable to move themselves up and trampled by other chickens and dead and dying chickens left in the barns. Yet tier response of Costco's general counsel to these videos? This is normal and uneventful activity. I don't know which is more concerning, the conditions being revealed, or that they view this as normal. Either way, you pay a premium for shopping local pasture raised chickens, but there is a reason that you do that.
