Video shows suffering at Iowa lawmaker's pig farm

DES MOINES, IA – Two people with Direct Action Everywhere, a Berkeley, California-based group, entered a hog farm last spring owned by Republican Sen. Ken Rozenboom and recorded disturbing conditions on video and in photos.

"Inside the barns, investigators documented months-old piglets suffering bloody rectal prolapses and intense overcrowding…" the group said in a statement.

Ken Rozenboom, who farms near Oskaloosa, said in a statement that he and his brother were surprised and disappointed to learn of the allegations, and noted that the barns were managed by another family under a lease in April so his family had no role in the management of the pigs at the time of the investigation..

"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," he said. "What we saw in the pictures is not OK, and we took immediate steps to learn why this had occurred."

Matt Johnson, one of those who entered the barn, said he submitted a complaint Thursday to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and local law enforcement after seeing conditions in the barn, which he contends constitute criminal animal neglect under Iowa law. Johnson declined to name the person who accompanied him.

Johnson, who submitted a complaint to the Iowa Dept. of Ag and local law enforcement, said he entered the barn on a night last April and entered through an unlocked door.

Rozenboom said its disappointing that the animal welfare group recorded images more than nine months ago but failed to immediately tell anyone. He said the group broke trespass laws and risked spreading infectious disease into the barns. He said trespass charges will be filed against those who entered the barn without permission.