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Wright County Egg (formerly DeCoster Egg Farms), based in
Galt, Iowa Galt is a city in Wright County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26 at the time of the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. Demographics 2010 census As of the c ...
, is one of the top ten poultry farms in the United States, with a flock of more than 15 million
chickens The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
. The company also produces
pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...
.


History

The company was founded by Austin "Jack" DeCoster as a teenager, when his father died. All the family had were several hundred chickens.


Litigation

In the 1990s and 2000s the company was raided by federal officials several times, and faced litigation. It was charged with violating employment laws by extensive hiring of illegal immigrant workers and maintaining abusive conditions. In addition, 300 undocumented female workers came forward with multiple claims of rape, sexual violence and sexual harassment, but no cases were prosecuted on their behalf. A number of grocery chains boycotted the company in the 1990s over concern for working conditions.


Controversy

In June 2010, DeCoster pled guilty to
animal cruelty Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse, animal neglect or animal cruelty, is the infliction by omission (neglect) or by commission by humans of suffering or Injury, harm upon non-human animals. More narrowly, it can be the causing of harm ...
charges with respect to the conditions of the egg-laying hens, after
Mercy for Animals Mercy For Animals (MFA) is an international nonprofit animal protection organization founded in 1999 by Milo Runkle. MFA's mission is to "prevent cruelty to farmed animals and promote compassionate food choices and policies." MFA has conducted mo ...
, an
animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
organization forwarded undercover video footage of company facilities in
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
. In August, 2010, the company recalled 380 million eggs in connection with a
salmonella ''Salmonella'' is a genus of rod-shaped (bacillus) Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The two species of ''Salmonella'' are ''Salmonella enterica'' and ''Salmonella bongori''. ''S. enterica'' is the type species and is fur ...
outbreak, and a related company, Hillandale Farms, recalled 170 million eggs. More than 3000 persons reported illnesses traced to contaminated eggs.


References

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External links


''Frontline:'' "Rape in the Fields"
PBS Egg organizations Companies based in Iowa Food and drink companies based in Iowa Agriculture companies of the United States