WASHINGTON – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a petition with the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on June 27 arguing the agency cannot regulate “humanely raised” meat labels seen on certain packaging.

In its petition, PETA claimed that FSIS does not regulate on-farm treatment of animals raised for meat, so it cannot verify the conditions before the meat arrives at a processing plant.

FSIS said that it was reviewing the petition.

PETA accused several producers of cruelty that supply products with humane label claims. One example included footage depicting animal cruelty at a turkey farm from Plainville Farms that was acknowledged in September 2021.

The poultry company said the offending workers identified in the video from PETA no longer work for Plainville and that it supports the prosecution of those people. The company also said it invested in body cameras for workers to wear and it plans to be vigilant in its surveillance efforts, both internally and by trained third-party animal welfare experts.

Other companies named by PETA in its petition included Maple Leaf Farms and Culver Duck Farm.