How Organic Chicken May Not Be as Humane as You Think

An undercover investigation conducted by the nonprofit Mercy For Animals reveals that a North Carolina farm supplying organic chicken to Pilgrim’s Pride and Costco Wholesale subjected birds to severe neglect, unsanitary living conditions, and physical abuse, exposing systemic vulnerabilities in organic food oversight and corporate animal welfare standards.

The Reality Behind Organic Poultry Supply Chains

Shoppers pay more than twice the price of conventional poultry for organic chicken, operating under the assumption that higher costs translate directly to better animal welfare and living conditions. However, an investigator working undercover for approximately two and a half months at a certified organic and humane North Carolina farm documented widespread violations of federal and industry standards. According to the investigator, who used the pseudonym Sam due to the covert nature of the work, the facility houses roughly 100,000 live chickens at any given time and operates as a supplier for Pilgrim’s Pride, which slaughters the birds and distributes them to major corporate buyers including Costco.

Documented Violations of USDA Organic Standards

Yet, findings from the Mercy For Animals investigation indicate that compliance at the North Carolina farm fell short across multiple metrics.

While the facility provided more indoor space than conventional factory farms, Sam stated he never observed the birds being granted outdoor access. The farm manager reportedly claimed that Pilgrim’s Pride had secured a temporary weather-related exemption for the area, though Sam noted no major weather events occurred during that winter and spring. Furthermore, ammonia levels—generated by chicken waste and capable of causing severe respiratory distress or blindness—reached up to at least 100 parts per million in one barn, well above the mandated 24-hour safety limit of 25 parts per million.

Organic standards also mandate a minimum of eight hours of continuous darkness daily to allow birds to rest. Sam recorded that the facility provided only three to four hours of darkness, a restriction utilized by producers to encourage continuous feeding and accelerated growth. Beyond environmental conditions, the investigation documented over 70 instances of improper euthanasia. The farm manager routinely killed sick or injured chickens by bludgeoning them with PVC pipes and rakes, crushing a bird with a bucket, and slamming another against a wall, alongside documented instances of birds being kicked, thrown, and left to die slowly in deadpiles.

Corporate and Regulatory Accountability Failures

The investigated farm holds certification from Hiland Global Certifications and is recognized as humane by the American Humane Society, a nonprofit that applies industry-aligned welfare standards. Following requests for comment, Hiland Global Certifications declined an interview and did not respond to detailed questions, while the American Humane Society stated it has launched an independent investigation into the footage.

Costco and Pilgrim’s Pride also declined interview requests. In a public statement, a Pilgrim’s Pride spokesperson noted that the company is deeply disturbed by the conduct, has terminated its relationship with the farm, and will initiate additional third-party audits across its supply network. A USDA spokesperson stated that upholding organic integrity is a core mission of the National Organic Program, noting that the agency provides due process under the law to allow certified farms to achieve compliance when issues arise.

Industry-Wide Structural Challenges and Proposed Solutions

Animal advocacy groups emphasize that dropping individual supplier farms does not solve systemic industry issues. Approximately 80 percent of all chickens in the United States are produced by just ten major companies utilizing standard, fast-growing breeds. Modern breeding practices prioritize oversized breasts, leaving birds with top-heavy bodies that their legs struggle to support, leading to chronic lameness, leg deformities, and high rates of premature mortality from metabolic and cardiovascular conditions.

Arash Yomtobian, president and CEO of Mercy For Animals, argued that large corporations possess the market influence to mandate meaningful reforms. According to Yomtobian, Costco has the capacity to reduce suffering for millions of animals annually by adopting slower-growing breeds and improved living conditions, but continues to prioritize profit over accountability. In response to these ongoing challenges, advocates and food policy experts have proposed several structural remedies:

• Establishing higher federal and organic animal welfare standards.
• Enacting basic federal welfare protections for conventionally raised livestock.
• Mandating frequent, unannounced organic farm audits conducted independently rather than funded directly by audited farms.
• Installing CCTV monitoring systems on farms and inside slaughterhouses.
• Creating a dedicated federal animal welfare oversight agency.