PETA Undercover Investigation in Greene County Leads to the Convictions of Men Who Worked for Hormel Supplier

For Immediate Release:
June 25, 2009

Contact:
Dan Paden 757-622-7382

Greene County, Iowa -- Three more men who worked at a Bayard, Iowa–area pig-breeding factory farm owned by Hormel supplier MowMar have pleaded guilty to abusing livestock while a fourth has admitted guilt to aiding and abetting livestock abuse. PETA conducted an undercover investigation at the farm and documented that workers were beating pigs with metal gate rods; kicking pigs in the face, abdomen, and genitals; electro-shocking pregnant sows; inserting a herding cane into a sow's vagina; and spraying paint up pigs' snouts.

Richard Ralston, Alan Rettig, and Greg Hackler pleaded guilty. The men were each sentenced to two years in prison (suspended), fined, and ordered to pay costs, with Hackler owing more than $3,000, according to court records. All are now barred from owning or working with any animal for probationary periods that range from one to two years. Jordan Anderson, a former manager of the farm, admitted guilt and accepted a deferred entry of judgment. Shawn Matthew Lyons, another former worker, was convicted on January 16. Lyons was fined and is currently serving six months' probation.

The case of the remaining defendant, Shelly Ann Mauch, continues through the court system.

Hormel is mum about whether it will implement policies to stop these kinds of abuses at its suppliers' farms. Hormel is also silent about whether it will heed PETA's suggestion to install surveillance cameras, which would allow the company to monitor workers' behavior and conditions for the pigs on the farms.

"At every pig farm we investigate, we find pigs who are maliciously abused and terrorized by workers who take out their frustrations on animals who can't fight back," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "These convictions have let the pork industry and all its employees know that the courts won't tolerate animal abuse and have given the public yet another reason to go vegetarian."

A brief report containing further information about each of the convicted men follows.  To learn more and to view the video, please visit PETA.org.

Pig Factory Farm Workers Convicted of Abuse

The following are the dispositions of the five former employees of the Bayard, Iowa, facility who were convicted of--or admitted guilt to--abusing or neglecting pigs:

*  Shawn Matthew Lyons
After entering a guilty plea, Lyons was convicted in January of one count of neglect of livestock, a simple misdemeanor. Lyons has been placed on probation for six months. During his probation, he is prohibited from working with any animals. To PETA's knowledge, Lyons--who pleaded guilty on January 16--is the first person ever to be convicted of abusing or neglecting factory-farmed pigs in Iowa, the nation's top pork-producing state.

*  Richard Michael Ralston, Alan Bruce Rettig
Ralston and Rettig each pleaded guilty to one count of abuse of livestock and received two years' suspended prison time and two years of supervised probation. They are prohibited from working with animals during their probation.

*  Greg William Hackler
After pleading guilty to one count of abuse of livestock, Hackler was sentenced to two years' suspended prison time and placed on supervised probation for one year, during which he cannot work with animals. He was ordered to pay costs of $2,900.85.

*  Jordan Michael Anderson
After being granted a deferred judgment on one count of aiding and abetting abuse of livestock, Anderson was placed on supervised probation for two years, during which he is allowed to work with animals.