Growing calls to stop the nationwide expansion of high-speed animal slaughter lines have reached a fever pitch in the wake of a shocking undercover investigation by Animal Outlook.

In this exclusive interview, UnchainedTV’s Jane Velez-Mitchell sits down with Animal Outlook’s Ben Williamson and an undercover investigator—appearing under the pseudonym "Daniel" to protect his identity—to expose what is happening behind closed doors at the nation's third-largest poultry producer.

This urgent exposé comes as the USDA weighs whether to make 175 birds-per-minute (bpm) slaughter lines a permanent nationwide standard. The organization is urging the public to sign its petition here:

https://animaloutlook.org/wayne-sanderson-2026.../

Animal Outlook says the footage “Daniel” recorded while working undercover for four months at the North Carolina chicken slaughterhouse provides a harrowing glimpse into the real-world consequences of these hyper-accelerated speeds. Please note the company’s use of high-speed slaughter is LEGAL as they got a special waiver from the government. Among Animal Outlook’s allegations are listed below.
ANIMAL OUTLOOK’S ALLEGATIONS:
“Birds thrown and mishandled: Footage shows workers throwing birds and slamming them into shackles.
“Improper shackling: Birds were sometimes hung by only one leg. In some cases, birds' chests and heads appeared above the shackle line.
“Birds killed fully conscious: Birds from the investigator's shift were apparently routed to a kill room for ritual slaughter where prior stunning was not required, and they had their throats slit while fully conscious.
"Worker injury: At this speed, workers are catching and hanging birds at a pace that produces repetitive strain injury. Our investigator's hands were rubbed raw.
“Bonuses tied to output: Workers' bonuses were tied to how many birds they hung, an incentive structure that encouraged cutting corners to keep the line full, including crowding birds and hanging them on the opposite side of the line to fill gaps faster.
“Line speeds that appear to exceed the waiver limit: Slowed-down footage appears to show the line running at more than 180 birds per minute at certain times, faster than the 175 bpm the plant is permitted to run under its waiver."

Meanwhile, Wayne-Sanderson recently released a 44-page 2026 Corporate Responsibility report claiming a "commitment to animal welfare." adding, "The health and welfare of our poultry are fundamental to our corporate objectives. Delivering compassionate, superior care is a strategic priority." We've reached out to the company for further comment and they are invited on any time.