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"This resulted in extreme pain and suffering by the calves, and in some cases permanent injury and even death," the statement continued. In addition to the state's laws, the board refers to FARM when it comes to industry standards for handling and care. So, in this instance our policy of cow care training "see something, say something" worked. They are both owned by Mike McCloskey. According to the USDA, cows raised on organic farms may not be given growth hormones of any type. FARM mandates that all farm employees who handle animals must complete stockmanship training. Advancements in reproductive technology have led to more calves being born on farms today, and most conventionally raised cows are now fed a diet of grain versus grass. As we shared last week, we are taking immediate actions to ensure our high standards of animal welfare are being executed at each of our supplying farms.". "At Jewel-Osco we strive to maintain high animal welfare standards across all areas of our business and work in partnership with our vendors to ensure those standards are upheld. June 7, 2019 / 12:36 PM On June 12, however, new footage was released by Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) purportedly showing Fair Oaks workers punching adult cows, hitting them with metal poles and allegedly breaking the tails of some cows which did not cooperate with employees. The controversy led to businesses dropping Fairlife products, including Stack & Van Til, Jewel-Osco and Tonys Fresh Market. "We will work with the Newton County prosecutors office to file charges for any criminal activity the independent investigation revealed. Fair Oaks Farms said the company's progress has been regularly documented on their website fofarms.com/progress where they write about efforts concerning video surveillance, mentorship, employee care, training, monitoring of facilities and staff, audits and animal welfare experts. The impact of coronavirus and circumstances arising from 2019 have led to the termination of three major executive positions at Fair Oaks Farm. "Weve always known that the better you treat an animal, the happier and more productive she is," Fair Oaks Farms founder and owner Mike McCloskey said in a 2015 article. Farmers and ranchers . Couto's Miami-based Animal Recovery Mission released video last week showing calves at Fair Oaks being thrown into their huts, hit and kicked in the head, dragged by the ears and burned with . "We have been in contact with Fairlife about this situation and have full confidence in their management team to urgently address this issue with Fair Oaks Farms, which is a third-party supplier to Fairlife," Coca-Cola said in a statement. The Animal Recovery Mission recently released the video, which prompted local law enforcement to launch an investigation. Please subscribe to keep reading. FAIR OAKS Videos of calves being body slammed and kicked at Fair Oaks Farms posted two years ago by activist group Animal Mission Recovery has had a recent viral resurface on social media. One cup of Fairlife 2% milk has 120 calories, 6 grams of sugar, 4.5 grams of fat, 13 grams of protein and 40% of the daily recommended amount of calcium. fairlife is committed to the humane and compassionate care of animals. Their cows do not receive 'extraordinary care and comfort.' Sour Milk | Successful Farming We immediately stopped accepting milk from them after learning about the incident and dont accept milk from them today.. Approximately 30 dairies support Fairlife; therefore, we are visiting all supplying dairies in person and conducting independent third-party audits within the next 30 days to verify all animal husbandry practices at the farms, including all training, management and auditing practices, Fairlife said in a statement. The truck driver, who was responsible for picking up the calves, will not be allowed on Fair Oaks Farms again. "With recent events involving Fair Oaks Farms, Strack & Van Til will be removing all Fair Oaks and related products until further notice," he said. The fourth was fired Tuesday, according to Fair Oaks Farms. It is unclear if Fairlife will still get dairy from Fair Oaks Farms, since both are owned by the same man. Family Express, the Valparaiso-based chain of convenience stores and gas stations, was named the best convenience store in the state of Indiana. In June 2019, ARM published a video (warning it's brutal) of the investigators most shocking footage, which quickly went viral. Consumer fraud lawsuits were filed across the country against Fairlife and later consolidated in Chicago federal court. #DitchDairy #ChooseCompassion @WorldAnimalNews @Peace_4_Animals pic.twitter.com/NVtZVb4Jfb. The fifth person is a truck driver who works for a third party. In early 2019, an investigator from the animal rights organization Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) went undercover by getting a job as a milker at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana, which supplies milk to Fairlife (among other companies), according to the organization. "We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.". "This is hardly the response you would expect from an organization that gets it. The Dairy Report 061119. Though videos showing animal abuse across different types of farms are not new, the initial Fair Oaks video release sparked a substantial outcry due to the company's history of promoting its own sustainable farming practices and animal welfare. Claims like these inspire people to choose these products, because they believe that they are better. While some stores stopped carrying Fairlife after the 2019 video, it does not appear to be weighing down the dairy brand today. As a matter of routine and practice, Fairlifes cows are tortured, kicked, stomped on, body slammed, stabbed with steel rebar, thrown off the side of trucks, dragged through the dirt by their ears and left to die unattended in over 100-degree heat. (WTHR) The Newton County Sheriff's Office has charged three people in connection with the Fair Oaks Farms animal abuse video. Times staff writers Joseph S. Pete and Anna Ortiz contributed to this report. On Tuesday, the sheriff's office disclosed the suspects' names. Boycott Fairlife Milk - Sign the Petition! Fairlife has invested more than $8 million over the past two years into animal welfare programs and oversight at its supplying farms, Lecas said. Miami-based animal welfare group Animal Recovery Mission released another video documenting animal abuse at Fair Oaks Farms. One of the sugars, lactose, is eradicated completely making it safe to drink for those who are lactose intolerant. Though the newly released footage was taken last year by the same undercover agent who took video showing the farm's calves being abused, its release has trigged a new wave of protests as the brand continues to do damage control. Members worked as employees while wearing a hidden camera. Those poor calves #boycottfairlife. Fairlife dairy gets its milk from Fair Oaks Farms. Dozens of new signatures popped up on a 2-year-old Change.org petition calling on retailers to drop Fairlife for using Fair Oaks as a supplier, and thousands shared the video. "They recognize the seriousness of this situation as their founding principles are grounded in a strong commitment to sustainability, transparency and the highest standards of animal welfare. Cuoto said, "The answer is no for me. In response, multiple stores stopped carrying Fairlife products, and numerous consumers boycotted the brand. First published on June 7, 2019 / 12:36 PM. Fairlife milk products are available nationwide. ET, Webinar So far, there is no evidence that this kind of accusation creates long-term harm for the brands involved. Nothing is as important to us as the health and well-being of our animals, read a statement on Fairlifes website at the time of the scandal, as per ARM. Ensuring that the animals who provide fairlife dairy products are cared for and cared about is a top priority for fairlife, reads Fairlifes website, while Fair Oaks Farms claims to be "committed to caring for our animals.". The product delivery arm of Fair Oaks Farms, Fresh Delivery, is suspending service for a week "to stand with the farm and for the safety of th, FAIR OAKS The Newton County Sheriff's Office has identified three of the men accused of abusing young calves at Fair Oaks Farms, according t, Police are looking for a suspicious man who reportedly approached children at Griffith's Central Park Monday, calling one to come to him and a, FAIR OAKS One of the men accused of abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms was arrested Wednesday, while the other two are still being sought by. | 2 p.m. Founded in 2012, the ultra-filtered dairy brand announced earlier this year it surpassed $1 billion in annual retail sales. Fairlife has since "discontinued the use of milk from Fair Oaks Farms" in its products. McCloskey, a retired veterinarian, and his wife Sue often used the word symbiotic to describe their relationship to their cows (which they referred to as their girls). The calves appeared to stay in filthy, overcrowded and hot conditions. Months ago, the individual seen smoking by the barn and doing drugs in a truck was turned in by his co-workers to one of our managers. Keep reading for a refresher on what went down, everything we know about Fairlifes treatment of the cows, and for our guidance on easy ways to protest companies that treat animals unfairly. A dairy farm in Indiana has come under immense scrutiny after an undercover video released by an animal rights group revealed newborn calves being abused by farm employees. While we were made aware a couple months ago of the fact that ARM had gone undercover at Fair Oaks Farms, and had proactively made a statement, we had no idea what kind of footage had been captured or what if any abuse had occurred. A University of Oxford study found that on average, cows milk produces about three times as many greenhouse gas emissions than vegan milks. A report from a series of focus groups done by precision fermentation startup Formo, Fordham University and Mercy For Animals released in February showed consumers are very enthusiastic and curious about animal-free dairy, with animal welfare being the reason they most want to consume it. Lawsuits are a part of the regular course of business in today's food and beverage industry. "I am disgusted by and take full responsibility for the actions seen in the footage, as it goes against everything that we stand for in regards to responsible cow care and comfort," McCloskey said in a written statement on the company's website. For female cows to produce milk for farmers to take, farmers must first artificially inseminate the cows; once a baby is born, farmers must separate mother and calf, otherwise the calf would nurse from his or her mother. "But Fairlifes and its founders 'promise' is a sham. We apologize for any inconvenience," spokeswoman Mary Frances Trucco told CBS Chicago in an email. The Coca-Cola Company and Fair Oaks owners Mike and Sue McCloskey are named as co-defendants in the suits, which were being consolidated into a single fraud case. Fair Oaks Farm, an agritourism destination, is located in Fair Oaks, off Interstate 65 in Newton County. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. By Clinton Griffiths June 10, 2019. All of the brand's beverages are made using a patented, cold-filtration process where milk molecules are separated by different filters and then recombined in a formula with more favorable macro nutrient ratios. Warning: the video is very disturbing. Fairlife claims to only source milk from farms with a zero tolerance policy for animal abuse, and the proper care of the animals that supply the milk for our products continues to be a top priority.. FAIR OAKS An audit of the operations of Fair Oaks Farms should likely be completed early next week. In a statement to Food Dive, Fairlife said animal welfare is and will always be a top priority." Plaintiffs suing Fairlife seek class-action status for alleged animal They must also sign the Dairy Cattle Care Ethics Agreement on an annual basis. Unfortunately, the practices seen on Fair Oaks Farm are not uncommon in the dairy industry. Fair Oaks Farms notified Fairlife that they immediately isolated dairy supply from the dairy identified in the video to suspend all sourcing from that location We fully support and respect the proactive approach that Fairlife and Fair Oaks Farms have taken and we continue to stay in contact with them to lend any support they need.". Plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege that these qualities justified premium prices for the product, which they said they bought the products solely because of the guarantee for "extraordinary animal care. UPDATE: Search for Suspects in Fair Oaks Farm Investigation Mike Withers has returned as president of Jewel-Osco after the last president stepped down after little more than a year in the job. Others boycotted dairy entirely, and switched to non-dairy milk, cheese, and ice cream. That manager notified local law enforcement about the drug use and, accordingly, a police report is on file. The Coca-Cola Company and Fair Oaks owners Mike and Sue McCloskey are named as co-defendants in the suits, which are being consolidated into a. There was a problem saving your notification. 2-year-old animal abuse video goes viral again, renewing calls to Gardozo-Vasquez - one of three former Fair Oaks Farms workers charged in connection to scenes of abuse that set off national protests and boycotts of Indiana's largest dairy - had also been. Strack's CEO, Jeff Strack, said the Highland-based company would no longer carry Fairlife products like Core Power protein shakes at its 20 supermarkets in Northwest Indiana. Gardozo Vasquez pleaded guilty late last year to misdemeanor animal cruelty and was sentenced to a term of probation under a plea agreement in which the prosecutor dropped a felony count of torturing or mutilating a vertebrate animal. UPDATE: Criminal probe launched into Fair Oaks Farms employees; companies pull products. We are proud to report that we have not had another incident on our farm.. FAIR OAKS, Ind. Valparaiso-based Family Express, which operates convenience stores across the state, will replace Fairlife products with milk products from Organic Valley, which has 143 family farms in Indiana. Fair Oaks Farms reports no further incidents following reemergence of three times as many greenhouse gas emissions. Now, as we come up on the two-year anniversary of the Fairlife milk animal abuse controversy, many are wondering exactly what happened at Fair Oaks Farms, why exactly people are boycotting Fairlife, and what they can do to stop animal abuse. Because of these laws, there is no way to know for sure what is going on at Fairlifes farms. Mar 13, 2020. Provide medical care or rehab for the injured or sick cows? None of Fairlife's farms are certified organic but shortly after the company (which was founded by a veterinarian) was formed in partnership with the Coca-Cola Company in 2012, it frequently advertised itself as spoiling its cows and adhering to a higher standard of animal care through sustainable farming practices. The footage went viral, and the organization also published a 125-page document reporting what the activist witnessed including extreme and violent animal abuse within the first few hours on the job. Video taken and posted by an animal rights group shows, among other things, dairy calves being body slammed and hit with various objects, including steel rods and branding irons. Fair Oaks Farms said five people in the video were identified and four of them are employees at the farm. I am and will continue to be deeply involved in the resolution of this matter, down to every one of our employees, so that I can guarantee that these actions never again occur on any of our farms. The settlement received preliminary approval by an Illinois federal judge on April 27. Fairlife Milk: Why Animal Abuse Investigation Prompted Boycotts The group released the video documenting the alleged animal abuse nearly a year later. Fairlife's website states that after ARM exposed Fairlife's cruelty, the dairy company stopped buying milk from Fair Oaks, and established "a robust welfare program" with their other farms, which Fairlife has put over $8 million into. The farm, which promotes itself as an agritourism destination for families and school groups, has documented steps it has taken to improve animal treatment since the video was released. A Crown Point, Indiana, woman filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Fair Oaks Farms, saying the company misled consumers who bought its milk at prices higher than . UPDATE: One arrested in Fair Oaks Farms investigation; owners sued If you were horrified by the actions taken at Fair Oaks Farms, youd probably be horrified if you peaked behind the curtain at any industrial dairy farm or slaughterhouse. FAIR OAKS, Ind.- Fair Oaks Farms say they will be putting cameras on properties where they have animals. Coca-Cola and others agree to $21M settlement for Fairlife animal abuse Coworkers caught. Yet many farmers argue that it's in their best interest to treat their animals humanely. Check out our guides to the most eco-friendly non-dairy milks, the best non-dairy milks for baking, pea milk, pistachio milk, and oat milk. Still, a 2021 report from the World Animal Protection and Compassion in World Farming found many food companies are not doing enough to prioritize animal welfare. But premium milk comes at a premium price. As a result, cows today produce up to 7 times more milk than their predecessors. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. STAFF REPORTS. All Rights Reserved. Fair Oaks Dairy Farm animal abuse allegations, video prompt Jewel Osco Topics covered: manufacturing, packaging, new products, R&D, and much more. And, when cows died of sickness, their dead bodies were dumped outside out of the view of those attending Fair Oaks Dairy Adventure tours; and once cows could no longer produce milk, they were sent to slaughter for meat or dog food. When reached by TODAY via email, a Fair Oaks Farms representative provided the following statement: "This is the same video that was released and covered last week, which includes footage that took place several months ago. One person seen in the Animal Recovery Mission video was a third-party truck driver who was transporting calves, he said. May 28, 2021 at 9:40 am A 2-year-old video of alleged animal abuse at a northwest Indiana dairy farm has gone viral again, generating a new wave of social media outrage and renewed calls to. Indiana State Veterinarian Bret D. Marsh, DVM, has directed BOAH staff to collaborate with local law enforcement regarding any appropriate next steps they may take.. The actions depicted on the Animal Recovery Mission video are unacceptable, a USDA spokesperson said. There is also footage of calves left in. Fairlife has advertised itself as being high-nutrition, ethically sourced milk, with labels stating that exceptional care was taken "every step of the way," from milking the cows to bottling the final product. It is with a heavy heart that I prepare this statement today. The animal abuse at Fair Oaks Farms would not be the only potential wrongdoing eligible for action by Newton County prosecutors if a proposal , State leaders so far are staying mum following the release of undercover videos showing animal abuse committed by former Fair Oaks Farms emplo, CROWN POINT Charges filed Tuesday allege a Gary woman dragged a 5-year-old girl by the arm away from a playground and pushed the child to th. https://t.co/iAybFVJeFg via @Change. The undercover video shows various forms of abuse against the calves. It's a major reason why Coca-Cola acquired the remainder of Fairlife. UPDATE: Search for Suspects in Fair Oaks Farm Investigation. "A full investigation of all aspects of the video is underway, during and after which disciplinary action will be taken, including termination and criminal prosecution, of any and all employees and managers who have violated either our animal care practices or the law or both," the statement reads. From February through April of 2019, an Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) activist got an undercover job milking cows at Fair Oaks Farms, which supplies milk to dairy companies including Fairlife (which is owned by the Coca-Cola Company, and provides milk to Chick-fil-A). There's also a virtual reality lab showing how the farm recycles manure to power its machinery. No court records were available on the remaining defendants. In 2019, undercover footage taken by an animal rights activist exposed Fair Oaks Farms, which supplies milk to dairy companies including Fairlife, revealed appalling evidence of animal abuse. Of the four who were our employees, three had already been terminated prior to us being made aware months ago of the undercover ARM operation, as they were identified by their co-workers as being abusive of our animals and reported to management. But that number is rapidly declining, with thousands of smaller dairy farms closing for business over the past two decades. ", "Defendants preyed on consumer desire for dairy products sourced from farms that ensure high levels of animal welfare by making animal welfare claims a central tenet of their labeling campaign," one of the lawsuits alleges. Our world revolves around making sure that our cows are fed well, treated humanely and live in comfortable, stress-free conditions.. Fair Oaks Farms is based in Fair Oaks, Indiana. Criminal charges were filed against at least three of the workers. In the wake of two videos being released showing animals being abused at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana, Fairlife Dairy has issued multiple apologies following the controversy. On Wednesday it. The result is a milk with more protein and calcium, and less fat and sugar, than conventional milk. As the larger dairy milk category has struggled, premium offerings have largely been a promising growth story. Most of the footage for this video was captured on one of the dairies that belongs to Fair Oaks Farms. Does Fairlife Still Abuse Cows? Cruel Treatment Is Unavoidable in Dairy The cases were filed after non-profit animal welfare group Animal Recovery Mission released videos from an undercover investigation of Fair Oaks Farms showing animals being mistreated, which . It is a shock and an eye-opener for us to discover that under our watch, we had employees who showed disregard for our animals, our processes and for the rule of law. FAIR OAKS Fair Oaks Farms founder Mike McCloskey says he was unaware calves were being sold to the veal industry, citing a lack of communica. A 2-year-old video of alleged animal abuse at a northwest Indiana dairy farm has gone viral again, generating a new wave of social media outrage and renewed calls to boycott Fairlife, a Chicago-based premium milk brand. Four employees were fired and a truck driver who worked for a third-party vendor was banned from the farm. "None of them have ever seen anything close to what was depicted on the video, even when performing their duties in the calf areas.". It is with great disappointment to find, after closely reviewing the released ARM video, that there were five individuals committing multiple instances of animal cruelty and despicable judgement. Coworkers caught three of the four employees abusing animals, reported them to management and they were fired before the Animal Recovery Mission video was even released. Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts. But not his teammates. According to Alan Bjerga, the senior vice president of communications at the National Milk Producers Federation, about 94% of America's dairy farms have 500 or fewer cows. Green Matters is a registered trademark. A factor in our decision was the public response by Fair Oaks, asserting the notion that this was an isolated incident," the company said in a release. It is heartwarming as investigators to see reemerging interest. FAIR OAKS The Newton County prosecutor says a witness has corroborated allegations from a suspect that an animal welfare investigator encour. HAMMOND Fair Oaks Farms is facing new demands it pay damages over animal abuse at the agritourism destination. Fairlife said the company is taking this incident very seriously. In a statement, the company said the dairy production seen in the video makes up less than 5% of Fairlife's milk supply, however in light of the footage's findings, the company will be putting its other dairy sources under a magnifying glass.