Fairlife has invested more than $8 million over the past two years into animal welfare programs and oversight at its supplying farms, Lecas said. 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. ", Richard Couto, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the footage released on Tuesday was the tip of the iceberg. That manager notified local law enforcement about the drug use and, accordingly, a police report is on file. The most-read stories on NWI.com during the past week. Fairlife, Coca-Cola, hit with second wave of lawsuits over animal abuse (WTHR) The Newton County Sheriff's Office has charged three people in connection with the Fair Oaks Farms animal abuse video. 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). Fair Oaks Farms representatives said Saturday no other incidents have happened since the videos were released in 2019. Fairlife Dairy still under fire over alleged animal abuse after new FAIR OAKS The Newton County prosecutor says a witness has corroborated allegations from a suspect that an animal welfare investigator encour, Ford is expanding its workforce again at the Chicago Assembly Plant on the banks of the Calumet River, just across the state line in Hegewisch. You can cancel at any time. STAFF REPORTS. We will also continue to work with Fair Oaks Farms to ensure specific actions are taken to address this situation and uphold our high standards for animal care.. In addition to individuals and companies boycotting the business and its products, in June 2019 delivery services were temporarily suspended. Fair Oaks Farms releases emotional response over abuse video. 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. 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. It's located in Fair Oaks, Ind., just off I-65, about 109 miles north of Indianapolis and. Those poor calves #boycottfairlife. According to the USDA, cows raised on organic farms may not be given growth hormones of any type. The plants featured in the video are an invasive perennial species that is rampant on farms all over the midwest. NEWTON COUNTY One of the three men accused of abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms is in federal immigration custody, according to police. Fairlife's 2021 stewardship report said it spent more than $8 million on supporting animal welfare standards at its suppliers and exploring new methods and technologies to improve animal care. People are starting to do their own homework on this. 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 law enforcement. 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. The video was filmed by a member of Animal Recovery Mission, who got a job at Fair Oaks Farms and went undercover as an employee from August to November of last year, CBS Chicago reports. We are proud to report that we have not had another incident on our farm.. 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. Driver in ditch nearly 5 times the legal limit, Porter County police say. Fair Oaks Farm is partnering with a dairy cooperative and Coca-Cola to launch Fairlife, a cold-filtered milk that has more protein and calcium and no lactose. It is unclear if Fairlife will still get dairy from Fair Oaks Farms, since both are owned by the same man. With that said, I am disappointed to learn of potential drug use on our properties. In the wake of the scandal, Fairlife (the national brand formally supplied by Fair Oaks) issued apologies and began conducting internal animal welfare investigations at multiple farms. In response to the video, local grocery store chain Jewel-Osco said it was removing all Fairlife products that come from Fair Oaks Farms from its stores. Individuals across the country have been recently resharing the videos, calling for a boycott on Fair Oaks Farms and Fairlife products. 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. 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. "This is a much greater investigation and it's still ongoing," Couto said. Those wishing to report any suspected animal cruelty can call 219-474-5661 or 219-234-7014, the department's tip line. Time passed, and the product found its way back onto store shelves. All Rights Reserved. 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. Subscribe to Food Dive for top news, trends & analysis, The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines, OCHO Candy Launches New Plant-Based Caramel Line, Pregis Performance Flexibles Facilities Are ISCC PLUS Certified, METER Group Food Scientists to Present New Research on Powdered Foods, By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our, By Fair Oaks Farms was the worst abuse towards newborn babies that I have ever seen, Couto said Thursday. Fairlife was launched in 2012 as a partnership between Coca-Cola, which distributes its products, and the Select Milk Producers, a co-op of dairy farms that includes Fair Oaks. Other premium brands, including A2, have been a hit with consumers. "With recent events involving Fair Oaks Farms, Strack & Van Til will be removing all Fair Oaks and related products until further notice," he said. Of the five, four were our employees and one was a 3rd party truck driver who was picking up calves. Ditching dairy is not only a good move for animal welfare, but also for the environment. Coca-Cola said in a statement that it takes animal welfare seriously and expects "suppliers to operate with the highest degree of integrity and comply with all laws, including animal welfare laws." We apologize for any inconvenience," spokeswoman Mary Frances Trucco told CBS Chicago in an email. FAIR OAKS The Newton County prosecutor says a witness has corroborated allegations from a suspect that an animal welfare investigator encour. And I watched the video, said Diane Mason, a reader from Melbourne, Florida, who reached out to the Tribune by email Thursday. Five workers in the video were identified as participating in the alleged abuse. The undercover video shows various forms of abuse against the calves. Those found guilty of animal abuse usually face dual penalties of jail time and fines. The result is a milk with more protein and calcium, and less fat and sugar, than conventional milk. 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. 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 impact of coronavirus and circumstances arising from 2019 have led to the termination of three major executive positions at Fair Oaks Farm. The form however, doesn't specifically define what constitutes abuse. Sour Milk. Fair Oaks Farm is located in Fair Oaks, right off Interstate 65. In case you need a refresher, heres a recap of the Fairlife investigation. We didn't spur it on but we are glad it happened. Fairlife does not provide any evidence that its cows are no longer being abused in fact, industrial animal farms are protected from being photographed or filmed by a set of laws called ag-gag laws. A University of Oxford study found that on average, cows milk produces about three times as many greenhouse gas emissions than vegan milks. All Rights Reserved. After a graphic video filmed at Indiana's Fair Oaks Farms one of the country's largest dairy operations was released earlier this month, more consumers are calling for retailers to cut ties with brands that have histories of documented animal abuse. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The cows shown in the video were not in federally inspected slaughter facilities and therefore not under USDA's authority, a spokesperson said. Not to mention, the treatment of cows described by ARMs investigator is, unfortunately, standard practice across the dairy industry. The admission building at Fair Oaks Farm has the phrase "Your Adventure Starts Here" written across the front. Coca-Cola and others agree to $21M settlement for Fairlife animal abuse On Wednesday, the company issued a new statement on its Facebook page taking "full responsibility" for the matter. One exception is Chobani, which last week said it was ending the production of its Chobani Ultra-Filtered Milk,which launched in February. "Animal abuse in any form is not tolerated on US dairy farms," said Bjerga. The farm is located about 75 miles southeast of Chicago. Offers may be subject to change without notice. However, this footage was a wake-up call to dairy consumers everywhere. 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. On June 4, 2019, ARM released disturbing footage of one of its most grueling factory farm investigations. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Northwest Indiana companies and construction professionals can learn about the latest developments with gas hazards and gas detection technolo, A former social worker turned entrepreneur developed a vegan, plant-based icing that will be available at Strack & Van Til supermarkets in, 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. 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 apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.". McCloskey has since announced changes in operations, including having an animal welfare expert on staff, installing cameras to monitor employees in contact with animals and having frequent, third-party audits performed on the farm. After watching the video, the board reviewed compliance records and logs for Fair Oaks Farms and has since been directed to cooperate with authorities. 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. FAIR OAKS A second video has been released by undercover animal welfare investigators Friday afternoon, showing what the groups says is "an . People all over the world were horrified to see evidence of such unnecessary abuse at the farm. 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. Conventionally raised cows may spend the majority of their lives in pens or inside barns in cramped quarters. 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. Its not the farm, its the industry, Couto said. It worked. Animal Recovery Mission also alleges supervisors and owners at the farm were aware of the conditions and took part in the abuse. 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. The alleged abuse dates back to August 2018, when Animal Recovery Mission, a nonprofit animal welfare group based in Miami, planted an investigator as an undercover calf care employee at the Indiana farm. "The employees featured in the video exercised a complete and total disregard for the documented training that all employees go through to ensure the comfort, safety and well-being of our animals.". Jewel-Osco is also dropping Fairlife from its more than 180 stores, including in Dyer, Chesterton and Munster. But that number is rapidly declining, with thousands of smaller dairy farms closing for business over the past two decades. 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. The employees were fired and faced charges of animal abuse. So, in this instance our policy of cow care training "see something, say something" worked. 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. / CBS News. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. But unlike the retailers, it plans to stick with Fairlife. Fair Oaks, a sprawling dairy farm, was launched in 2004 by Mike and Sue McCloskey, who are also co-founders of Select Milk. Now millions more are becoming aware of these issues.". What We Know About the Fair Oaks Farms Controversy But premium milk comes at a premium price. The group, which promotes plant-based lifestyles, said that the footage was taken by an undercover investigator who recorded the animal abuse in 2018 while working at Fair Oaks Farms, which.
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