Two Costco shareholders filed the lawsuit Monday in Washington State, where Costco is based, against the company’s top executives and members of its board of directors, which includes Nebraska native Jeff Raikes. A Lincoln Premium Poultry official referred the Examiner to Costco officials, who did not respond immediately Tuesday to messages seeking comment. Officials with the Nebraska and Iowa Departments of Agriculture also did not immediately respond to questions about whether Costco had ever been cited for violating livestock welfare laws in those states. Costco opened a $450-million chicken processing facility in Fremont in 2019, and 120 contract growers were hired to raise chickens that are bred, hatched and distributed by Lincoln Premium Poultry. Lincoln Premium Poultry officials have said that 4% to 5% of its chickens die during the growing process but said some mortality is to be expected in all livestock operations.

Source: CNN June 16, 2022 03:04 UTC