Rozenboom Responds To Allegations

Ken Rozenboom’s response to Direct Action Everywhere allegations listed in their press release below Rozenbooms response.

My brother and I at Rosewood Pork were very surprised and disappointed to learn of these allegations in the Vox article. The pictures indicate careless animal husbandry practices that violate acceptable animal care protocols, the very protocols that our family has carefully followed during a lifetime of animal care. What we saw in the pictures is not OK, and we took immediate steps to learn why this had occurred.

It is important to note that these barns had been leased to another family farm operation several years ago, and were managed by them in April of 2019. At the time that this undercover investigation took place, Rosewood had no role in the management of the barns, had no ownership of the pigs, and had no employees who worked there.

Immediately after learning of the allegations we began an investigation by visiting with the key people in their family, and we received information from the veterinarian responsible for reviewing the health protocols of pigs in these barns. Veterinary and farm records tell us the pigs in question were sick from an infectious respiratory illness that poses no threat to humans, but exhibits a number of unpleasant symptoms in pigs, including death. The pigs were being treated for this health threat at the time of the investigation. Further, we confirmed that the tenants had appropriate animal care protocols and they had trained their employees appropriately. But clearly, those protocols had not been carefully followed at the time in question.

Some time ago, before we had learned of these claims from the undercover investigators, Rosewood had taken steps to again take over the day-to-day management of our barns for a number of reasons, including our own concerns about day to day management. The current barn caretaker has been thoroughly trained in proper animal care protocols and our expectations, and is under direct supervision of Rosewood.

Of course, we were disappointed to see the condition of some of the pigs shown in the photos. We are thankful that there is no evidence of animal abuse. But perhaps more disappointing is that the undercover investigators took these photos more than nine months ago, but had never notified us or a third party of what they had observed. Had they done so, we could have made immediate changes much sooner.

A narrative from Direct Action Everywhere accompanied the photos, and described the environment in the barns. That narrative is demonstrably false.

Modern livestock facilities, including these, are designed to provide the best possible environment for the animals in them. Our pig buildings are bright, well-ventilated and temperature controlled to keep pigs consistently comfortable around the clock, 365 days a year. They always have ample space, fresh feed and clean water all day, every day. In the heat of the summer pigs are fogged with a fine mist to help keep them cool, and pigs love it! In our barns the pigs are not confined to pens; rather, they have a lot of space to eat, sleep and play. They have food courts and loafing space.

Then there is the matter of the undercover investigation itself. While the pictures don’t show evidence of any laws being broken with respect to animal care, clearly the “investigators” broke trespassing laws. Of far greater concern, we livestock producers and the state of Iowa take the matter of biosecurity very, very seriously. Sickness in livestock, as it is with humans, is something to be avoided if at all possible. We are very much concerned about foreign animal diseases (FADs).
The world is currently anxiously watching the outbreak and spread of the corona virus. The same is true of our livestock. The state of Iowa dedicates a great deal of care, and expense, to monitor and test in order to stay vigilant with respect to disease, especially FADs. The intruders violated many biosecurity protocols, and potentially contributed to the spread of disease. This type of dangerous, illegal activity cannot be condoned.

Our family has a long tradition of responsible crop and pig production.  We were taught to take care of the land and the animals because it’s the right thing to do.  We know that success in agriculture depends on attention to detail because crops and animals thrive in a healthy environment and they suffer in a poor environment. Industry standards such as Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA+) are not a burden for us; rather, they are minimum thresholds.  In addition, as a family, we are acutely aware of the moral and ethical responsibilities that come with the care of animals.  Doing the right thing every day is essential.  It’s called integrity, and we value that very highly.  That’s why these allegations by Direct Action Everywhere are so disappointing to us!

Going forward, we will continue to monitor the changes we had already made to make sure pigs under our care are well cared for to prevent future incidents of this type.

Below is the email press release from Direct Action Everywhere

Activists Defy “Ag-Gag” Law to Expose Cruelty at Iowa Senator’s Pig Farm
Iowa State Senator Ken Rozenboom legislated the state’s latest “ag-gag” law

JANUARY 24, OSKALOOSA, IA – Investigators with the global grassroots animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) released an investigation of Rosewood Pork, Inc., a Mahaska County, Iowa pig farm owned by Iowa State Senator Ken Rozenboom. The investigation directly challenges the “ag-gag” statute Senator Rozenboom managed through the state legislature in early 2019. (Ag-gag laws prohibit undercover photography and videography at farms.)

Inside the barns, investigators documented months-old piglets suffering bloody rectal prolapses and intense overcrowding. They came across one piglet who was unable to stand, and gasped for air while thrashing wildly for several minutes, before eventually dying.

Activists say these findings are not only disturbing but constitute criminal animal neglect under Iowa law, according to a veterinary expert and former federal prosecutor who reviewed their footage. They submitted a criminal animal neglect complaint to state and local officials Thursday (January 23).

Matt Johnson, the lead investigator on this project, says consumers are opposed to such abuses, but are being denied accurate information by government officials at all levels.

“Having grown up in Iowa, I know firsthand that ordinary people everywhere want animals — and the people speaking up for them — to be treated with respect. When animal abuse is brought to light, it’s the abuse itself which is the problem, not the exposure of that abuse. Ag-gag laws are a clear indication that this industry has a lot to hide.”

Already subject to felony charges for factory farm exposés around the country, Johnson says DxE’s continued work confronts a global pattern of repression head-on, as unprecedented measures are enacted to shield factory farms from transparency and accountability:

Ag-gag laws are currently enacted in six U.S. states, including Iowa. (Iowa’s law was temporarily suspended by a federal judge last month, and currently awaits a permanent ruling.)

Corporate interests in France are trying to make “stigmatizing agricultural activities” a form of hate speech (Legislation here).

A bill recently introduced in Ontario, Canada would permit farmers to use force to arrest factory farm whistleblowers — even without a warrant or evidence.

Australian legislation passed in 2019 subjects those found guilty of trespass on farms to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Despite escalating legal risk, Johnson says DxE remains committed to not just continuing but expanding its work. He says this latest investigation is just one example of crackdown efforts backfiring — fueling the very investigatory work they seek to repress.

Investigators with Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) enter farms, slaughterhouses, and other agricultural facilities to document abuses and rescue sick and injured animals. DxE’s investigatory work has been featured in The New York Times, ABC Nightline, and a viral Glenn Greenwald exposé. Visit Direct Action Everywhere on Facebook and at directactioneverywhere.com. Follow us on Twitter @DxEverywhere.