Whistleblower: Pigs Beaten With Hammers, Killed in Collapsing Barns at Smithfield Farm; PETA Seeks Probe

For Immediate Release:
September 24, 2026

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Pigs were reportedly beaten to death with hammers and wrenches, injured and killed in collapsing barns, and left for days without food at a Smithfield-owned farm near Unionville, according to a whistleblower who recently contacted PETA. In response, PETA this morning sent a letter to Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn calling on the agency to investigate Smithfield Hog Production Green Hills Farm and hold the operation accountable for any and all violations of state regulations.

One barn reportedly partially collapsed on a calm day in January, killing several pigs and leaving others so badly injured they had to be killed. The whistleblower reports that as many as five barns have sagging roofs and that two others collapsed during windy conditions, injuring pigs with falling rafters and suspended heaters. Management reportedly took no action when workers raised concerns about the deteriorating structures.

The whistleblower further reports widespread disease, with as many as 20 pigs dying per day at one of the farm’s many sites, as well as routine power failures that left pigs without water for up to two days and feed disruptions that left them without food for several days. Malfunctioning heaters reportedly caused temperatures inside the barns to fall to as low as 30 degrees, causing pigs to pile on top of one another in an attempt to keep warm.

“According to an insider, pigs at this Smithfield farm were left to suffer amid failing buildings, malfunctioning equipment, widespread disease, and violent beatings, leaving some painfully injured and others dead,” says PETA Vice President of Legal Advocacy Daniel Paden. “PETA is calling on state authorities to investigate these disturbing reports and on everyone horrified by pigs’ suffering in the meat industry to help stop it by going vegan.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and fear, a pig is a dog is a boy. PETA’s free vegan starter kit can help anyone thinking of making the switch. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Chinn follows.

September 24, 2026

To:        Chris Chinn, Director, Missouri Department of Agriculture

From:   Colin Henstock, Associate Director of Project Strategy, PETA

Re: Alleged Animal Abuse, Structural Hazards, and Rampant Disease at Smithfield Green Hills in Unionville

Dear Ms. Chinn:

Your attention is urgently requested. This letter concerns a disturbing report submitted to PETA regarding Smithfield Hog Production Green Hills Farm, located at 59348 Justice Rd., near Unionville. We have been told the following:

·       The barns are structurally unsound and pose an ongoing danger to the pigs confined inside and to workers. A barn partially collapsed on a calm day in January. Falling objects killed several pigs, and others were injured and had to be killed, including one pig with a large gash on the right side. (Please see this photograph.) Rather than rebuilding the barn entirely, the company only made makeshift repairs.

o   As many as five barns have sagging roofs, particularly Barn 8. Many barns lack hurricane straps intended to reinforce their wind resistance. Two barns collapsed during straight-line winds, and falling rafters and suspended heaters injured pigs, some of whom had to be killed. No action was taken by management when workers alerted them to deteriorating barn conditions.

·       Workers and supervisors struck pigs with hammers, wrenches, and other tools out of frustration. Blows to the head killed some pigs.

·       Diseases were widespread at the facility, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, several strains of porcine epidemic diarrhea, erysipelas, and an unidentified condition causing severely swollen joints. The company declined to conduct necropsies. As many as 20 pigs died per day at one of the farm’s sites.

·       The sheds’ power routinely failed, leaving pigs without food or water until service could be restored. Pigs sometimes went without water for one to two days and without feed for several days. Feed delivery issues also left pigs without feed many times.

·       Barn heaters frequently malfunctioned, and temperatures reached as low as 30 degrees in the sheds, causing the pigs to pile on top of one another in attempts to stay warm.

The eyewitness is willing to speak with your agency about these concerns. Please let me know if you or a designated staff member would like their contact information.

We respectfully request that the department promptly investigate Smithfield Green Hills and take all appropriate enforcement action. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Colin Henstock

Associate Director of Project Strategy