Petaluma, California – April 4, 2025 — Petaluma Poultry, a division of Perdue Foods, is taking legal steps to prioritize the safety, privacy and well-being of an associate and his family amid repeated harassment and privacy violations by the radical animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE). A complaint for injunctive relief was filed with the California Superior Court, Sonoma County, on Friday after DxE deployed alarming, and illegal, tactics against an associate and his family at their private residence.

The associate is a material witness in an ongoing case against DxE operative Zoe Rosenberg, who is facing criminal charges related to illegally entering a Petaluma Poultry facility in 2024. DxE has relentlessly harassed the associate, his family, and neighbors ahead of Rosenberg’s upcoming trial in May.

“Perdue Farms fully supports the right to free speech and peaceful protest. However, there is a clear line between lawful advocacy and repeated, unlawful, intimidation tactics. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home, without fear of harassment or disruption. Today, we took steps to protect those values for our associates, their families and our community,” said Julie Katigan, Chief Human Resources Officer for Perdue.

“While we welcome open and honest discussion about the welfare of animals, we strongly oppose the extreme tactics used by DxE,” Katigan added. “These are not the actions of an organization seeking constructive dialogue.”

“Direct Action Everywhere is an animal rights extremist organization, founded with the agenda of ‘destroying’ or ‘canceling’ animal agriculture. The organization is actively demanding ‘animal liberation.’ Extremists with Direct Action Everywhere frequently engage in criminal activities that put animal health, employee safety, and food security at risk,” said Abby Kornegay, Director of Issues and Engagement for Animal Agriculture Alliance. “Their supporters are well aware that the actions they engage in are illegal, as the organization regularly holds trainings on how to interact with law enforcement, what to expect if they’re arrested, and how to prepare for legal cases.”

“It is extremely disheartening to see Direct Action Everywhere target an individual and his family so mercilessly, though it is not the first time we’ve seen this tactic used by the organization,” Kornegay added. “The utter disregard for the law, the right to privacy, and consideration for others highlights just how extreme this organization is and how far they are willing to escalate to achieve their goal.”

“Direct Action Everywhere has been disrupting farms and businesses in Sonoma County for over seven years,” said Dayna Ghirardelli, CEO of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. “They tried to eliminate farms in Sonoma County through the Measure J ballot initiative, which they lost by 85%. This was a clear message from the community supporting our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses that drive our economy and ensure food security.”

Despite this, DXE continues to harass and terrorize a local man and his family making an honest living working for a business that contributes greatly to our food supply. The lengths to which they will bully, intimidate, and disrespect are heinous and disgusting. Their self-imposed moral high ground trespassing, theft, and misleading tactics are not welcome here,” said Ghirardelli.

“Petaluma Poultry has long been a leader in free-range and organic poultry, and they’re known for taking great care of their birds,” said Bill Mattos, President of the California Poultry Federation. “The claims being made by DxE simply don’t line up with reality. Their persistent protests at an individual associate’s home are not only disruptive — they’re intentionally misleading and misrepresent the work Petaluma and its employees do every day.”

Contact: Perdue Farms Corporate Communications: corpcomm@perdue.com; 410-341-2533

About Petaluma Poultry
Petaluma Poultry, the home of ROCKY® The Free Range and ROSIE® The Original Organic Chicken. We provide locally raised, fresh organic and free-range chicken with ranches in and around Sonoma County. We also have a feed mill and packing operations in Petaluma.

As a pioneer in free range and organic poultry, we are dedicated to sustainable farming practices that renew natural resources. Our goal is to produce the finest free range and organic poultry products while reducing waste, preserving our environment, supporting our employees and contributing to our local communities.