It worked. Does Fairlife Still Abuse Cows? Cruel Treatment Is Unavoidable in Dairy Fairlife Milk: Why Animal Abuse Investigation Prompted Boycotts Ex-Fair Oaks Farms worker gets probation for abusing calves A man accused of abusing calves on the large northwestern Indiana farm has been sentenced to a year of probation after a felony. Cathy Siegner The Newton County prosecutors office charged three men accused of abusing young calves at Fair Oaks Farms: Santiago Ruvalcaba Contreros, 31; Edgar Gardozo Vazquez, 36; and Miguel Angel Navarro Serrano, 38. The result is a milk with more protein and calcium, and less fat and sugar, than conventional milk. "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. We didn't spur it on but we are glad it happened. But unless a farm is certified organic meaning that farmers must abide by strict legal standards when it comes to the care, breeding and feeding of animals it can be difficult to determine exactly how animals are treated on any property. Here's a look at the top 5 trending stories on nwi.com yesterday. 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. "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. In response, multiple stores stopped carrying Fairlife products, and numerous consumers boycotted the brand. 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. 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. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Approximately 98% of the country's milk supply is represented through the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM), a program that sets animal care standards for participating farms. Temperature readings show it was more than 100 degrees inside their hutches. The company cited Fair Oaks Farms' actions in light of the ARM investigation as well, saying Fair Oaks Farms has commissioned an independent auditor to audit practices at the farm and has also committed to conduct independent, random audits. Copyright 2023 Green Matters. It didn't come from us.". Fairlife milk products are available nationwide. They also announced the farm's plans to install video surveillance on the property. The video was brought to the attention of The Indiana State Board of Animal Health on Tuesday through social media, news stories and concerned citizens, according to Denise Derrer, the board's public information director. He said on Friday, ARM will release another video he described as an hour and a half of consistent abuse.. 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. "This is hardly the response you would expect from an organization that gets it. | 11 a.m. Fairlife has admitted that the calves seen in the undercover footage taken at Fair Oaks Farms were mistreated. Months ago, when I first learned of the undercover activity, I requested a 3rd party review and we went through a re-training process throughout the dairies. Mike McCloskey, owner of Fair Oaks, released a video Thursday apologizing after an und Coca-Cola and other parties agreed to pay $21 million to settle lawsuits for falsely advertising their Fairlife ultra-filtered milk came from humanely treated cows. 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. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. "None of them have ever seen anything close to what was depicted on the video, even when performing their duties in the calf areas.". Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts. "We've been trying to figure out where this regeneration of the videos has come from. 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. Farmers and ranchers . "We acknowledge the need for humane treatment of animals and the need to hold individuals that have gone beyond an acceptable farm management practice accountable for their actions," says a release from the department. But unlike the retailers, it plans to stick with Fairlife. Green Matters is a registered trademark. This video and any future videos will be immediately handed over to the authorities for review and potential prosecution. IE 11 is not supported. A dozen Chicago-area grocers pulled Fairlife from their shelves amid widespread backlash. In a public statement in 2019,Fair Oaks Farms Chairman Mike McCloskeyacknowledged that four of the people shown committing alleged abuses were Fair Oaks Farms employees, and one person was a third-party truck driver who was transporting calves. The farm, which still has a 4.5-star rating on TripAdvisor, welcomes about 500,000 visitors annually. 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.". Soon after the footage came out, many consumers vowed to boycott Fairlife, and buy milk from otherdairy brands instead. Those wishing to report any suspected animal cruelty can call 219-474-5661 or 219-234-7014, the department's tip line. Please feel free to contact me if you have any comments or questions. However, this footage was a wake-up call to dairy consumers everywhere. But that number is rapidly declining, with thousands of smaller dairy farms closing for business over the past two decades. It also generally costs more. 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. Reaction was fast and furious when the video was released in June 2019. As the two months went on, the undercover activist continually observed employees punching, hitting, poking, and shoving cows; he saw them snapping cows tails; and he watched them push, kick, and slap cows in their udders. Four employees were fired and a truck driver who worked for a third-party vendor was banned from the farm. Coutos organization has investigated alleged abuse at 25 dairy farms in the U.S., including a 2017 investigation at a Florida dairy farm associated with Dean Foods, which filed for bankruptcy in 2019. In June 2019, ARM published a video (warning it's brutal) of the investigators most shocking footage, which quickly went viral. 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). Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son. The case was opened following the release of a video by Animal . The suit alleges that this led many consumers to believe they were were paying a premium for that standard of care. In a statement to Food Dive, Fairlife said animal welfare is and will always be a top priority." 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. In the new statement issued Wednesday on the Fair Oaks Farms Facebook feed, the company acknowledged the brutal nature of some of the video captured on its property. 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. We anticipate cooperation from both parties in this matter during this investigation.". No reports of animal abuse or neglect have been filed with the agency since the farms founding in the mid-1990s, Derrer said in an email. The video posts also appear to show drug possession and use by farm employees. Plaintiffs suing Fairlife seek class-action status for alleged animal 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. NEWTON COUNTY One of the three men accused of abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms is in federal immigration custody, according to police. Our world revolves around making sure that our cows are fed well, treated humanely and live in comfortable, stress-free conditions.. three times as many greenhouse gas emissions. The statement that we grow and sell drugs on our farms is false. As they considered what may or may not impact their ability to . "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. And if you want to take further action, ARM's website has several suggestions for how to get involved. The calves appeared to stay in filthy, overcrowded and hot conditions. Animal Recovery Mission also alleges supervisors and owners at the farm were aware of the conditions and took part in the abuse. CHICAGO At least eight federal lawsuits have been filed against Fairlife as a result of the alleged animal abuse at Fair Oaks Farms that came to light in early June, and the . Unfortunately, the practices seen on Fair Oaks Farm are not uncommon in the dairy industry. To add insult to injury, the abuse is rampant even at Fairlifes 'flagship farm in Indiana' that customers are urged to visit on the products labels.". The employees were fired and faced charges of animal abuse. Warning: the video is very disturbing. While the review came back favorable, I am not letting my guard down and will institute more thorough monitoring and training so that this abuse can never happen again. FARM mandates that all farm employees who handle animals must complete stockmanship training. "Since then, we have taken vigilant, unwavering steps to actively monitor all human-animal interaction 24 hours a day by installing cameras throughout our farms, and bolstered these efforts with hiring an on-site animal welfare expert and conducting regular third-party audits to confirm our monitoring practices, to ensure we havent overlooked anything," the company said. While some stores stopped carrying Fairlife after the 2019 video, it does not appear to be weighing down the dairy brand today. You can cancel at any time. Animal Welfare Experts | Video Update | Fair Oaks Farms Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Driver in ditch nearly 5 times the legal limit, Porter County police say. Calumet City mayor taken to hospital after 4-vehicle crash, COVID-19, fallout from animal abuse charges lead to departure of 3 executives at Fair Oaks Farms, document says, New lawsuit filed against Fair Oaks Farms, Ex-Fair Oaks Farms worker gets probation for abusing calves, Plaintiffs suing Fairlife seek class-action status for alleged animal abuse at Fair Oaks Farms, Man accused of abuse at Fair Oaks Farms in ICE custody, police say, Animal welfare group calls claims of investigators encouraging abuse at Fair Oaks Farms 'incredibly false', Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza, Greece train crash: Public anger grows as death toll rises. Operation Fair Oaks Farms Dairy Adventure | ARM Investigations (Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar) Alan Bjerga insists that the U.S. dairy community takes the kinds of videos released by ARM very seriously and that it will not be forgotten anytime soon. All Rights Reserved. May 27 2021, Published 1:51 p.m. Fair Oaks Farms has emotional response to abuse video - AGDAILY A video released by an animal rights organization shows young calves being kicked in the head, dead calves' bodies piled together in the dirt , FAIR OAKS An audit of the dairy farms that make up Fair Oaks Farms indicates the farms are operating within the standards of the dairy indus. In the late 1990s, three dairy producers sat in the cab of a pickup contemplating the future of their farms. Fair Oaks Farms representatives said Saturday no other incidents have happened since the videos were released in 2019. Couto said the next video will allegedly show conversations the undercover investigator had with management acknowledging animal abuse. Members worked as employees while wearing a hidden camera. 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. The form however, doesn't specifically define what constitutes abuse. Footage shows Fair Oaks Farms workers dragging calves by their ears, throwing them into small plastic enclosures and hitting them with milk bottles. That manager notified local law enforcement about the drug use and, accordingly, a police report is on file. As a veterinarian whose life and work is dedicated to the care, comfort and safety of all animals, this has affected me deeply. ", Richard Couto, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the footage released on Tuesday was the tip of the iceberg. Mar 13, 2020. Tony's Fresh Market, which has 15 stores across the Chicago area, said it would no longer carry Fairlife "in light of the devastating news story that broke about Fairlife and Fair Oaks Dairy Farm" and after customers voiced concerns. 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. 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. ARMs Fairlife investigation proved that there is no way to truly know what is happening behind a farm's closed doors. In January 2020, Coca-Cola bought out its partners to take full ownership of Fairlife. "This is a much greater investigation and it's still ongoing," Couto said. 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. But that doesn't mean that all farming operations are large-scale operations like Fair Oaks Farms, which has 37,000 cows and is the largest dairy farm in the state of Indiana. Their cows do not receive 'extraordinary care and comfort.' The fourth was fired Tuesday, according to Fair Oaks Farms. There was a problem saving your notification. "We will work with the Newton County prosecutors office to file charges for any criminal activity the independent investigation revealed. Charges have been filed by the Newton County Indiana Sheriff's office for alleged animal cruelty at Fair Oaks Farms. Coworkers caught. I also take full responsibility to correct and ensure that every employee understands, embraces and practices the core values on which our organization stands. Fairlife is aware of the lawsuit and, in a statement provided to TODAY, said: "We are aware of the lawsuit and are reviewing it. The parties, which include Select Milk Producers, Fair Oaks Farms and Mike and Sue McCloskey (the owners of Fair Oaks and founders of Fairlife), also agreed to take additional steps to implement animal welfare oversight, according to the filing. The company also promised to increase animal welfare checks and will no longer get dairy from farms that violate its animal abuse policy. Until these things are in place, Fairlife said no dairy from the video will be used in its products. The abuse extends to kicking and beating calves, as well as force-feeding them until they can't breath. The organization put out a few calls to action to people who were affected by the heartbreaking footage ARM asked people to sign its petition, to ask stores to stop carrying Fairlife, and to leave dairy products off their plates. 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. Pending orders of Fairlife products were suspended at Family Express, according to a news release issued by the company. He released a video statement following the backlash from the Animal Recovery Mission revelations. Because of these laws, there is no way to know for sure what is going on at Fairlifes farms. UPDATE: Criminal probe launched into Fair Oaks Farms employees; companies pull products. 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. The group released the video documenting the alleged animal abuse nearly a year later. While the videos and ensuing lawsuits cast negative attention on the Fairlife brand, it has done little to slow its momentum. The fifth person is a truck driver who works for a third party. Of the five, four were our employees and one was a 3rd party truck driver who was picking up calves. When it entered the national market in 2014, Fairlife quickly garnered a lot of attention for producing a milk with "superior nutrition." I have personally reached out to ARM's founder, Richard Couto, to discuss a more symbiotic relationship but he has yet to reach back. "The expos of animal abuse in the Fair Oaks Farm network is chilling. 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. "For any case, we need to review each act individually to determine if it meets the states definition of cruelty or abuse," said Denise Derrer, Public Information Director at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, who is helping with the investigation. Calves were stabbed and beaten with steel rebars, hit in the mouth and face with hard plastic milking bottles, kneed in the spine, burned in the face with hot branding irons, subjected to extreme temperatures, provided with improper nutrition, and denied medical attention.". fair oaks farm abuse update 2021 - weirdthings.com The videos showed calves being kicked in the head and being struck with branding irons and iron rods, and dead calves were shown piled in the dirt. Fairlife, Coca-Cola sued after animal abuse videos exposed at supplier Miami-based animal welfare group Animal Recovery Mission released another video documenting animal abuse at Fair Oaks Farms. 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. Fairlife, Coca-Cola, hit with second wave of lawsuits over animal abuse Was able to make it through 15 seconds of that fairlife video I will never understand how anyone could hurt an animal. Shot in 2018 by an undercover activist group investigator at Fair Oaks Farms, then the massive flagship dairy of Fairlife, the four-minute video depicts workers throwing, dragging, kicking and hitting newborn calves. Fair Oaks Farms animal abuse: After video exposes abuse at Fair Oaks A University of Oxford study found that on average, cows milk produces about three times as many greenhouse gas emissions than vegan milks. Ditching dairy is not only a good move for animal welfare, but also for the environment. The dairy sector has seen its share of them. A man accused of abusing calves on the large northwestern Indiana farm has been sentenced to a year of probation after a felony charge was dropped. 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Other premium brands, including A2, have been a hit with consumers. 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. In addition to individuals and companies boycotting the business and its products, in June 2019 delivery services were temporarily suspended. The plants featured in the video are an invasive perennial species that is rampant on farms all over the midwest. Fairlife, which is owned by Coca-Cola, quickly cut ties with the dairy farm after the video first went viral. Since opening as a tourist attraction in 2004, Fair Oaks Farms has been considered the "Disneyland" of dairy farms. The admission building at Fair Oaks Farm has the phrase "Your Adventure Starts Here" written across the front. On June 4, 2019, videos depicting employees abusing calves were released by ARM following an undercover investigation by the animal rights group. "I learned about it yesterday," said Richard Couto,Animal Recovery Mission founder. Let Food Dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. "Many of you have reached out to express your disappointment, heartbreak and anger regarding the videos released yesterday, and we want you to know that we share those same feelings and take full responsibility," the company's post stated. 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. Those found guilty of animal abuse usually face dual penalties of jail time and fines. "We are proud to report that we have not had another incident on our farm.". In November 2019, The Times reported that at least eight federal lawsuits had been filed against Fairlifefrom across the country, including California, Florida and Indiana. Consumer fraud lawsuits were filed across the country against Fairlife and later consolidated in Chicago federal court. I am committed to never again have to watch a video of our animals suffering the way that they suffered," McCloskey said June 6, 2019, in a video posted to Fair Oaks Farms' Facebook page. "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. When animals fall within our authorities, USDA acts to prevent animal cruelty such as this. 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. ET In June 2019, undercover footage of appalling animal abuse at a dairy farm that supplied milk to Fairlife went viral, prompting many customers to boycott the "ultrafiltered" milk company that had claimed to care about animal welfare. As a result, cows today produce up to 7 times more milk than their predecessors. If the Dairy Industry Was a Country, It Would Be One of the World's Biggest Emitters, Report Finds, Milk Sales Drop by More Than $1 Billion as Plant-Based Alternatives Take Off. Coca-Cola, which initially owned a minority position in the Fairlife brand through a joint venture with Select Milk Producers,acquired the remaining stakein 2020. FAIR OAKS, Ind. I am disappointed for not being aware of this kind of awful treatment occurring and I take full responsibility for what has happened. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. There was a problem saving your notification. Parth Raval, the division's chief growth officer, said the CPG giant is exploring different ingredients, packaging formats and flavor offerings to strengthen its dominant presence in the category. Richard Couto, 50, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the actions depicted at Fair Oaks shocked even their seasoned animal abuse investigators. Offers may be subject to change without notice. A Hammond man reported being robbed of guns and cash in Chesterton park, but police have questions. The impact of coronavirus and circumstances arising from 2019 have led to the termination of three major executive positions at Fair Oaks Farm. All Rights Reserved. (WTHR) The Newton County Sheriff's Office has charged three people in connection with the Fair Oaks Farms animal abuse video. Fair Oaks Farms said five people in the video were identified and four of them are employees at the farm. FAIR OAKS An audit of the operations of Fair Oaks Farms should likely be completed early next week. ET, Webinar -- Police are investigating allegations of animal abuse at an Indiana dairy farm, the Newton County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. A 64-ounce jug of Market Pantry (Target's brand) milk is $2.39. "But Fairlifes and its founders 'promise' is a sham. We are proud to report that we have not had another incident on our farm.. Police also are seeking the name of an individual who may have witnessedthe alleged crimes and failed to report the activity, the sheriff's department said Wednesday. After reviewing the video frame-by-frame, those three employees are responsible for the overwhelming majority of offenses seen in this video. But now, nearly three years later, consumers are wondering how Fairlife treats cows in the wake of the scandal, and if Fairlife still abuses cows in 2021. Ride along with LaPorte Police Specialist Justin Dyer as he patrols the streets of LaPorte. , Webinar The farm, which still has a. 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. Provide medical care or rehab for the injured or sick cows? On Tuesday, the sheriff's office disclosed the suspects' names. What We Know About the Fair Oaks Farms Controversy One of those men has since been apprehended and arrested. 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. Farm owner takes 'full responsibility' for alleged animal cruelty - WPTV FAIR OAKS Mike McCloskey said he wished an animal activist organization that spent nearly six months clandestinely filming the operations of, FAIR OAKS | Fortune 60 company Coca-Cola is partnering with a Northwest Indiana farm, hoping that a reinvented, more nutrient-rich milk can do.