You might remember when we broke the news back in December about our undercover investigation at a pig farm in Garland, North Carolina, owned by Murphy Family Ventures, which supplies pig meat to Smithfield Foods. Murphy Family Ventures workers were documented cutting off piglets' tails and pulling out piglets' testicles without any pain relief, among other abuses. You might also remember that at least one employee at the pig farm was fired in response to our investigation. Well, this story just keeps on progressing in the right direction—and that's the way we like it!

Thanks to PETA's undercover work and follow-up, criminal charges have been filed against one of the workers employed by the farm during the undercover investigation.

That worker faces six misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals for actions documented by PETA's investigator, including dragging pigs by the ear, striking a pig in the face with a handling board, and poking a pig in the eyes with his fingers. If he returns to North Carolina from out-of-state, a second worker will face one count of cruelty to animals for also dragging a pig by the ear. FoxNews.com has a great article with more details on the investigation, and you can view footage from the investigation below.

I have to say, it's great to see that the officials who are presiding over the case are taking this one seriously—as seriously, in fact, as they would a case that involved a sadistically tortured dog or cat. And rightfully so: Just like dogs and cats, pigs have the ability to feel pain. And if someone just happened to say that a pig is smarter than a dog or a three-year-old child, well, he or she would be right.

It's about time that these pigs—whose suffering and misery PETA has caught on film—finally get some justice. This case sends a message loud and clear to factory farms and slaughterhouses that cruelty to farmed animals will not be tolerated and that violations of animal welfare laws will have consequences such as, oh, say—a court date.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Are there any Monty Python fans in the house? In one classic Monty Python sketch, John Cleese plays a self-defense instructor who insists—despite his class's protests—on demonstrating ways to protect oneself against attackers armed with various types of fruit.

Well, it turns out that he might have been on to something.

Last week's news was filled with food-related violence. First, in Michigan, Frederick McKaney allegedly hit a woman over the head with a frozen chicken. Then word arrived of a Maryland man who reportedly held up a convenience store with—what else? A banana! Somewhere, Graham Chapman is shaking his head.

All this violence is enough to make you worry that we're headed for a future filled with bumper stickers that read, "You'll take my French bread only when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers," and cop shows that feature officers who yell, "Drop the carrot sticks, and put your hands where I can see 'em."

So can we all agree that it's time to chill with the edible aggression? We've started the ball rolling by asking authorities to make sure McKaney is fed a vegetarian diet should he end up spending some time in jail, since everybody knows (right?) that animal abuse is connected to violence against humans!

So let's all take a deep breath and reach for tasty veggie fare to help end the violence inflicted on others—both human and nonhuman. Plus, going vegetarian helps you and the environment too! Though you might want to leave the bananas alone until you're a bit calmer.

Posted by Jeff Mackey