U.S. pork producers brace for HBO special on cruelty

Animal rights groups have forced changes to how animals are treated or handled in some states.

California's Proposition 2 that was passed last fall phases out some of the most restrictive animal confinement practices of factory farms.

The Pork Board has planned delegate meetings at the forum to discuss quality assurance rules including animal handling, and how much money to allocate to promote animal welfare.

"Our Pork Quality Assurance Plus and Transport Quality Assurance Programs are designed to demonstrate the care we are giving to our animals everyday on our farms," Cunningham said.

"It's not as much about what the animal rights activists are saying about how we are raising pigs as opposed to us demonstrating that we do care and we are giving the best possible care" she said.

(Additional reporting by Bob Burgdorfer in Chicago; Editing by David Gregorio)