"Hidden Workforce: US Prison Labor's Role in Global Food Brands"

A two-year AP investigation has revealed the extensive use of prison labor in the U.S. food industry, with prisoners working for pennies an hour or sometimes nothing at all, and facing punishment or jeopardizing their chances of parole if they refuse to work. The goods produced by these prisoners end up in the supply chains of major food companies and popular brands, including McDonald's, Walmart, and Cargill. Many of the companies buying directly from prisons are violating their own policies against the use of such labor, but it's legal under the 13th Amendment. Critics argue that incarcerated people should be paid fairly, treated humanely, and that all work should be voluntary.