The pig industry is not only bad for animals—it’s bad for workers as well

But when the graduates arrived, they realized the internship program didn’t exist. And without any training or equipment, they were forced to work in the dangerous conditions endemic to pig farms.

Now they are suing Livingston Enterprises Inc. and Worldwide Farmers Exchange for anti-trafficking, racketeering, and labor violations. The misled workers—and their fellow J-1 visa holders—were paid considerably less than other employees who did the same job, while also being charged for the provided, substandard housing conditions.

The overcrowded, unsanitary conditions of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) expose workers to health threats like bird flu, salmonella, and respiratory diseases. CAFOs are designed for profit, not for basic animal or worker protections. And when pigs and other farmed animals try to resist being forced into intensive confinement, moved, mutilated or amputated without anesthesia, or killed with blunt force, in their sustained mental anguish and distress, they can turn aggressive and injure workers.

Factory farm workers generally come from vulnerable populations, including refugees, immigrants, and historically marginalized groups. Fear of deportation or retaliation precludes them from reporting labor violations. For pig industry executives, this pervasive fear is a core value, as workers can easily be exploited without recourse.

“It is sadly no surprise that an industry that exploits billions of animals a year for profit would do the same to vulnerable members of our society,” says Hannah Truxell, Senior Policy Counsel at The Humane League. “Animal rights advocates and human rights advocates have a common enemy in factory farming, and we can and should leverage our shared outrage to hold this industry accountable for its horrific abuse.”

To stop the pig industry from exploiting life on earth, take action here.