Lloyd”™s of London claims that purebred breeding pigs valued at nearly $295,000 were alive and well when they were placed on an Atlas Air flight in Chicago in 2018, but were dead or dying on arrival in China.
Lloyd”™s, which insured the pigs for PIC USA Inc., accused Atlas of negligence in a June 29 complaint filed in U.S. District Court in White Plains.
The pigs were damaged, the complaint states, “due to the livestock having been subjected to high temperatures, heat distress and other improper conditions.”
Corporate communications for Atlas, based in Purchase, did not respond to an email request for comment.
PIC ”“ the name stands for Pig Improvement Co. ”“ uses genetics to breed pigs that cost less to produce and provide higher quality pork.
The Hendersonville, Tennessee, company has been working with China, the world”™s largest 
pork market, to introduce genetically-modified pigs to expand the breeding stock in response to shortages caused by African Swine Fever.
PIC”™s parent, Genus PLC, a British animal genetics company, is collaborating with Beijing Capital Agribusiness to breed pigs that are also resistant to the virus that causes Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, one of the most harmful pig diseases.
On June 28, 2018, the complaint states, the 934 purebred breeding pigs that PIC shipped to Atlas in Chicago were in good condition.
But when the consignment arrived in Xianyang, China, Lloyd”™s claims, many pigs were dead and many had to be destroyed.
The flight had been delayed for a number of hours, according to the complaint, and the pigs had been subjected to stressful temperatures.
Lloyd”™s alleges that Atlas, or its agents, were negligent. The insurer compensated PIC for the losses, and it is demanding $294,583 from Atlas.
Lloyd”™s is represented by Manhattan attorney James P. Krauzlis.
