MowMar Workers Sentenced for Animal Abuse

July 7, 2009 — 

MowMar Farms' employees that were exposed in an undercover video and charged with animal abuse had their day in court. In the end, four of six former employees of the pork production unit located in Iowa have been sentenced to probation for their on-farm actions.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) shot the undercover video released in September over the course of three months last summer. Toward the end of the undercover filming, the Iowa farm was being bought and the ownership transitioned over to MowMar Farms.

Because MowMar Farms supplies Hormel Foods Corp. with hogs for processing, Hormel also was pulled into the episode. The Austin, Minn. packer received thousands of e-mails and brand pressure in response to the on-farm incident.

Richard Ralston and Alan Rettig pleaded guilty last week to one count each of livestock abuse and were sentenced to two years' probation. Greg Hackler pleaded guilty to one count of livestock abuse, and was sentenced to one year of probation, according to Agweek

Jordan Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting livestock abuse and was sentenced to two years' probation. However, he received a deferred judgment, so that if he successfully completes his probation the charge will be expunged from his record.

A fifth defendant pleaded guilty in January to neglect of livestock and was sentenced to six months' probation. The case involving a sixth defendant, charged with animal cruelty, still is pending.

Source:
Pork Magazine, June 29, 2009
AP contributed to this report.