Notorious Pig Slaughterhouse ‘Farmer John’ In California Will Finally Close At The Beginning Of 2023; A Step Forward For The Plant-Based Movement

Smithfield Foods, Inc. has announced that it will cease all pig confining and killing operations at its Farmer John slaughterhouse in Vernon, California, in early 2023. The company claims to be taking this step due to the escalating cost of doing business in California.

As per a statement from Smithfield Foods, which also plans to reduce its sow herd in its Western region, the company is exploring strategic options to exit its operations in Arizona and California.

This is welcome news for animal advocates everywhere, especially those who have faithfully attended vigils for years at the Southern California slaughterhouse, providing water to terrified pigs and showing compassion toward them while they wait in trucks for their turn to be killed for their flesh.

“After years of standing with The Save Movement, LA Animal Save, and Animal Alliance Network and many other animal rescue groups and personally witnessing the horrific and haunting sight of gentle pigs being transported to this slaughterhouse, while seeing the sheer terror in their eyes and hearing their screams, I celebrate the closing of this location,” animal activist Simone Reyes told WAN. “If it was economically feasible, they would stay put, but clearly the meat industry is buckling under the pressure as veganism takes center stage as a lifestyle and diet choice that continues to grow at lightning speed.”

This is also the same slaughterhouse that Joaquin Phoenix visited following his SAG Award win for best actor in 2020, bringing worldwide attention to the house of horrors. Smithfield and other meat companies consider slaughterhouses to be a business, but in reality, it is a crime to exploit and kill these innocent animals for the sake of making a profit.

Smithfield currently owns and operates 46 facilities and nearly 500 company-owned farms. It is our sincere hope that many more factory farms owned by Smithfield, as well as other meat companies around the world shut their doors as the world transitions to a kind, sustainable, and environmentally friendly plant-based food system.

You can help all animals and our planet by choosing compassion on your plate and in your glass. #GoVeg