"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. With that said, I am disappointed to learn of potential drug use on our properties. The minimizing of the graphic animal cruelty offers little assurance of change in a culture that is likely in need of fundamental retooling.". A recent video shows abuse of animals located on one of the farm's properties. The brand said it has "significantly strengthened our animal care programs and processes since 2019"through camera monitoring, a third-party animal welfare advisory board and increasing the number of unannounced audits at supplying farms. "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.". The Animal Recovery Mission recently released the video, which prompted local law enforcement to launch an investigation. 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. https://t.co/iAybFVJeFg via @Change. 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. 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. 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. We apologize for any inconvenience," spokeswoman Mary Frances Trucco told CBS Chicago in an email. 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. People are starting to do their own homework on this. The truck driver, who was responsible for picking up the calves, will not be allowed on Fair Oaks Farms again. Is the Government Really Paying Farmers to Destroy Crops and Kill Animals? 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.. "We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.". 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. Mike McCloskey owns both Fairlife dairy products and Fair Oaks Farms. Fairlife's sales were fast-growing at a time when milk sales have been falling for decades in the United States, and the company just announced in April it planned to build a new $200 million processing plant in Arizona. It is our position that any companies that come in contact with transportation of our animals, should be well-versed in and adhere to our industry's animal welfare practices which can be found in FARM. All Rights Reserved. "In 2019, when our farmers reported this behavior, we immediately terminated and turned these individuals into the proper authorities to prosecute," the company said in the statement. Its not the farm, its the industry, Couto said. "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. And when mother cows can no longer lactate, they are of no value to farms so the only financially viable solution is to send them to slaughter. Soon after the footage came out, many consumers vowed to boycott Fairlife, and buy milk from otherdairy brands instead. Charges have been filed by the Newton County Indiana Sheriff's office for alleged animal cruelty at Fair Oaks Farms. You can cancel at any time. "But Fairlifes and its founders 'promise' is a sham. "Isolated incidents such as this are not indicative of how our countrys dairy farm families operate.". It was evident to the investigator that it was the normal way to do business at the farm, the document read. Animal Recovery Mission also alleges supervisors and owners at the farm were aware of the conditions and took part in the abuse. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. Derrer added that during their most recent legislative session, Indiana's legislators made changes to the state's animal welfare laws, which include harsher punishment for those found guilty of animal abuse. While Fairlife has cut ties with Fair Oaks, Couto said eliminating one supplier doesnt eliminate the problem. 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. The video circulating is from two years ago at one of our former supplying farms, Lisa Lecas, a Fairlife spokeswoman, said in an email Thursday. "This resulted in extreme pain and suffering by the calves, and in some cases permanent injury and even death," the statement continued. 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. 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. Since opening as a tourist attraction in 2004, Fair Oaks Farms has been considered the "Disneyland" of dairy farms. First published on June 7, 2019 / 12:36 PM. Coworkers caught. 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. At Target, a 52-ounce bottle of Fairlife milk sells for $3.39. 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. Driver in ditch nearly 5 times the legal limit, Porter County police say. It didn't come from us.". 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. Regardless, 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. 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. The plants featured in the video are an invasive perennial species that is rampant on farms all over the midwest. 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. 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. And if you want to take further action, ARM's website has several suggestions for how to get involved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Family Express, the Valparaiso-based chain of convenience stores and gas stations, was named the best convenience store in the state of Indiana. Fair Oaks Farms is a museum, restaurant, gift shop and hotel built around a working dairy farm. Conventionally raised cows may spend the majority of their lives in pens or inside barns in cramped quarters. The fifth person is a truck driver who works for a third party. The fifth person is a truck driver who works for a third party. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. ", Anna Ortiz is the breaking news/crime reporter for The Times, covering crime, politics, courts and investigative news. 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. "We have staff in the farm sites regularly," she said. It's located in Fair Oaks, Ind., just off I-65, about 109 miles north of Indianapolis and. One of my friends on Facebook shared it. 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. Individuals across the country have been recently resharing the videos, calling for a boycott on Fair Oaks Farms and Fairlife products. Yesterdays protest outside of @CocaCola headquarters in #Atlanta urging them to drop @Fairlife milk products following @ARMInvestigatios undercover expos of horrific #calf abuse. There's also a virtual reality lab showing how the farm recycles manure to power its machinery. "I think people are starting to understand that and diving into the dairy issue for their own physical health, animal abuse and environmental impact. 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. 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. It also generally costs more. #DitchDairy #ChooseCompassion @WorldAnimalNews @Peace_4_Animals pic.twitter.com/NVtZVb4Jfb. 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. 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. "Furthermore, we requested this be elevated to the attorney general of the State of Indiana.". 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. He said on Friday, ARM will release another video he described as an hour and a half of consistent abuse.. 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Fair Oaks Farms is the largest dairy farm in Indiana with 37,000 cows, TODAY reported. Fairlife dairy gets its milk from Fair Oaks Farms. The video posts also appear to show drug possession and use by farm employees. 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. FARM mandates that all farm employees who handle animals must complete stockmanship training. Several companies bought big into the once-promising segment, but the governmentsdecision not to permit the ingredient in food and beverages has left producers unwilling to invest further. 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. Fairlife also hired a vet as its Director of Animal Welfare and Sustainable Farming in January 2020, and the company claims to now conduct third-party audits of its farms. UPDATE: Criminal probe launched into Fair Oaks Farms employees; companies pull products. 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. When animals fall within our authorities, USDA acts to prevent animal cruelty such as this. "We've been trying to figure out where this regeneration of the videos has come from. Fair Oaks Farms is based in Fair Oaks, Indiana. Now millions more are becoming aware of these issues.". For further information on the progress of our commitments, visit http://fairoaksfarmsprogress.com.". (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. Reaction was fast and furious when the video was released in June 2019. 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. Temperature readings show it was more than 100 degrees inside their hutches. However, before ARM released its footage of Fair Oaks, Fairlife had made plenty of claims in regards to animal welfare. Pending orders of Fairlife products were suspended at Family Express, according to a news release issued by the company. A 64-ounce jug of Market Pantry (Target's brand) milk is $2.39. An undercover video provided by Animal Recovery Mission shows workers allegedly abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms in Newton County. May 27 2021, Published 1:51 p.m. 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. Critics of dairy operations, such as Mercy for Animals, PETA and The Humane Society of the U.S., maintain . The undercover video released by nonprofit ARM shows Fair Oaks Farm employees kicking, throwing, stomping on and hitting cows with plastic bottles. ARMs Fairlife investigation proved that there is no way to truly know what is happening behind a farm's closed doors. Because of these laws, there is no way to know for sure what is going on at Fairlifes farms. The Animal Recovery Mission claimed Fair Oaks . "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. 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. 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.". He can shoot it., Justin Steele and 6 Chicago Cubs relievers combine for the 1st spring training no-hitter in franchise history, Leah Palmer experiences grand time as Geneva grinds out victory in Class 4A third-place game. 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. Until these things are in place, Fairlife said no dairy from the video will be used in its products. FAIR OAKS A second video has been released by undercover animal welfare investigators Friday afternoon, showing what the groups says is "an . June 7, 2019 / 12:36 PM Our focus remains on looking forward and making progress in the actions weve outline to enhance training and education for our employees, and ensuring the highest standards of care and welfare for our animals. 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.". While some stores stopped carrying Fairlife after the 2019 video, it does not appear to be weighing down the dairy brand today. Consumer fraud lawsuits were filed across the country against Fairlife and later consolidated in Chicago federal court. 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. "At Jewel-Osco we strive to maintain high animal welfare standards across all areas of business, and work in partnership with our vendors to ensure those standards are upheld," the company stated in a news release Wednesday. 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. Consumers worried about supporting farms with inhumane practices may look for these brands and labels, which designate dairy producers that comply with the ASPCA's standards. 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. 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. It is heartwarming as investigators to see reemerging interest. Founded in 2012, the ultra-filtered dairy brand announced earlier this year it surpassed $1 billion in annual retail sales. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. A Hammond man reported being robbed of guns and cash in Chesterton park, but police have questions. Richard Couto, 50, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the actions depicted at Fair Oaks shocked even their seasoned animal abuse investigators. The Newton . Fair Oaks, she said, is no longer in its supply chain. We have been flooded with emails to ask if we are still undercover with the dairy industry and asking about Fair Oaks Farms. There is also footage of calves left in. The perfect tummy control bodysuit, a popcorn gadget, more bestsellers starting at $8. 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.". Further cases of animal abuse could provide momentum for animal-free offerings created by precision fermentation. Cathy Siegner 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. 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. An undercover video provided by Animal Recovery Mission shows workers allegedly abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms in Newton County. The impact of coronavirus and circumstances arising from 2019 have led to the termination of three major executive positions at Fair Oaks Farm. She spends her time monitoring traffic and weather reports, scanning crime logs and reading court documents. One person seen in the Animal Recovery Mission video was a third-party truck driver who was transporting calves, he said. You can also make plans to watch the upcoming documentary Milked, which is all about the dairy industry, its impacts on the environment, and what needs to be done to turn things around. He released a video statement following the backlash from the Animal Recovery Mission revelations. 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. I am disappointed for not being aware of this kind of awful treatment occurring and I take full responsibility for what has happened. Driver in ditch nearly 5 times the legal limit, Porter County police say. UPDATE: Search for Suspects in Fair Oaks Farm Investigation. Authorities have arrested one of the three men charged in connection with an animal cruelty investigation at Fair Oaks Farms in northwest Indiana, authorities announced Wednesday. FAIR OAKS An audit of the operations of Fair Oaks Farms should likely be completed early next week. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The suit alleges that this led many consumers to believe they were were paying a premium for that standard of care. Jewel-Osco is also dropping Fairlife from its more than 180 stores, including in Dyer, Chesterton and Munster. 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 . They are both owned by Mike McCloskey. It is with a heavy heart that I prepare this statement today. 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.. You can cancel at any time. Then I searched for news on this and was surprised it was from 2019. "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. Other premium brands, including A2, have been a hit with consumers. Criminal charges were filed against at least three of the workers. Slashing Methane Emissions by 45 Percent Is Crucial to Avoid Climate Catastrophe and Easy, Says UN Report. IE 11 is not supported. Miami-based animal welfare group Animal Recovery Mission released another video documenting animal abuse at Fair Oaks Farms. 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. This ARM video shines a light on an area that despite our thorough training, employee on-boarding procedures and overall commitment to animal welfare needs improvement. Please subscribe to keep reading. As for the vet who Fairlife hired as Director of Animal Welfare and Sustainable Farming, theres no way she can observe the daily operations at all 30+ farms that supply milk to Fairlife. A dozen Chicago-area grocers pulled Fairlife from their shelves amid widespread backlash. | 11 a.m. As a result, cows today produce up to 7 times more milk than their predecessors. People all over the world were horrified to see evidence of such unnecessary abuse at the farm. ", "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. Fair Oaks, a sprawling dairy farm, was launched in 2004 by Mike and Sue McCloskey, who are also co-founders of Select Milk. 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