UPDATE: Search for Suspects in Fair Oaks Farm Investigation. In the wake of the first video being released, retailers including Jewel-Osco, Tonys Fresh Market, Casey's and Family Express have stopped selling Fairlife products. tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to the animal agriculture industry, standard practice across the dairy industry. In response, multiple stores stopped carrying Fairlife products, and numerous consumers boycotted the brand. As ARM noted, both Fair Oaks Farms and Fairlife have built their brands around animal welfare. Fair Oaks Farms is based in Fair Oaks, Indiana. Time passed, and the product found its way back onto store shelves. "This is hardly the response you would expect from an organization that gets it. The employees were fired and faced charges of animal abuse. 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. 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. Their cows do not receive 'extraordinary care and comfort.' 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. "The response is similar to when we first published the footage on a smaller scale, with the outrage in general. Names released of 3 charged in Fair Oaks Farms animal abuse case The undercover video released by nonprofit ARM shows Fair Oaks Farm employees kicking, throwing, stomping on and hitting cows with plastic bottles. The impact of coronavirus and circumstances arising from 2019 have led to the termination of three major executive positions at Fair Oaks Farm. The fourth was fired Tuesday, according to Fair Oaks Farms. Fair Oaks, she said, is no longer in its supply chain. Cut ties with the supplier? 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. Those found guilty of animal abuse usually face dual penalties of jail time and fines. Fair Oaks Farms is a museum, restaurant, gift shop and hotel built around a working dairy farm. 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. Yesterdays protest outside of @CocaCola headquarters in #Atlanta urging them to drop @Fairlife milk products following @ARMInvestigatios undercover expos of horrific #calf abuse. Further cases of animal abuse could provide momentum for animal-free offerings created by precision fermentation. The actions depicted on the Animal Recovery Mission video are unacceptable, a USDA spokesperson said. But that number is rapidly declining, with thousands of smaller dairy farms closing for business over the past two decades. Fair Oaks Farms said that people were harassing the business and its staff via phone calls, messages, social media and in person during deliveries. Below is McCloskey's full statement for Fair Oaks Farms: This morning I was made aware of an animal abuse video that the group Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) produced and has released to the public and the press. A recent video shows abuse of animals located on one of the farm's properties. The Newton . The admission building at Fair Oaks Farm has the phrase "Your Adventure Starts Here" written across the front. The group released the video documenting the alleged animal abuse nearly a year later. We immediately stopped accepting milk from them after learning about the incident and dont accept milk from them today.. The abuse in the dairy industry is systematic., Chicago-area grocers pulled Fairlife from their shelves, A defensive stalwart, Oswego Easts Tyler Jasek surprises Joliet West. 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. Please subscribe to keep reading. The perfect tummy control bodysuit, a popcorn gadget, more bestsellers starting at $8. As they considered what may or may not impact their ability to . Jewel-Osco is also dropping Fairlife from its more than 180 stores, including in Dyer, Chesterton and Munster. A roundup of crime stories from throughout the Region during the past 24 hours. We apologize for any inconvenience," spokeswoman Mary Frances Trucco told CBS Chicago in an email. That all seems unlikely, since all this happens behind closed doors, and any of those actions could hurt Fairlifes profits. Driver in ditch nearly 5 times the legal limit, Porter County police say. It is heartwarming as investigators to see reemerging interest. On June 4, 2019, ARM released disturbing footage of one of its most grueling factory farm investigations. Fair Oaks Farms said five people in the video were identified and four of them are employees at the farm. "I learned about it yesterday," said Richard Couto,Animal Recovery Mission founder. 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. Topics covered: R&D, flavor trends, health & nutrition, scientific discoveries, new ingredients, and much more. To protest dairys exploitation and unfair treatment of cows (as well as the industrys high methane emissions) the first step is to stop buying dairy products. Coca-Cola buys Fairlife, impressed by brand's response to animal abuse June 12, 2019: 7 things to know about alleged animal abuse at Fair Oaks 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. Couto said the videos have now been going viral across all social media platforms, including newer sites like TikTok. Fairlife has admitted that the calves seen in the undercover footage taken at Fair Oaks Farms were mistreated. 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. Fairlife is owned by the Coca-Cola Company, and the corporation responded to the undercover footage by stating that Fairlife immediately stopped sourcing milk from Fair Oaks Farms after the footage was released, and that Fairlife planned to launch an animal welfare advisory council of experts. "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. 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. 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. 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. 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. People all over the world were horrified to see evidence of such unnecessary abuse at the farm. And if you want to take further action, ARM's website has several suggestions for how to get involved. 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. Fairlife has since "discontinued the use of milk from Fair Oaks Farms" in its products. "I guarantee you that this will never happen again at Fair Oaks Farms.". FAIR OAKS, Ind. Fair Oaks Political Reaction 061019. 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. Then I searched for news on this and was surprised it was from 2019. But unlike the retailers, it plans to stick with Fairlife. Fair Oaks Farm is located in Fair Oaks, right off Interstate 65. 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. 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. Fair Oaks Farm animal abuse: What we know - The Indianapolis Star The truck driver, who was responsible for picking up the calves, will not be allowed on Fair Oaks Farms again. A Vermont man filed a complaintthree years ago against Unilever's Ben & Jerrys arguing that contrary to information on the brand's website, it doesnt solely use milk and cream from happy cows. The case was dismissed in 2020. 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. "We will work with the Newton County prosecutors office to file charges for any criminal activity the independent investigation revealed. Couto supported the renewed calls for boycotting Fairlife, but said his target is much bigger the dairy industry at large. A Crown Point woman has filed new claims that she has been harmed by animal cruelty at Fair Oaks Farms. Fairlife Dairy is facing a new lawsuit after employees were seen abusing calves and cows in undercover footage. "The expos of animal abuse in the Fair Oaks Farm network is chilling. 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. On June 4, 2019, videos depicting employees abusing calves were released by ARM following an undercover investigation by the animal rights group. 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 cup of regular 2% milk has 120 calories, 11 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein and 30% of the daily calcium recommendation. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). FAIR OAKS The Newton County prosecutor says a witness has corroborated allegations from a suspect that an animal welfare investigator encour. In the initial statement issued Tuesday on social media, Fair Oaks founder Mike McCloskey said four of the people shown committing alleged abuses were Fair Oaks Farms employees and each had been or were being fired. Authorities have arrested one of three people charged with animal cruelty following the release of video showing workers kicking and throwing young calves at a northwestern Indiana dairy . 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. 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. A Hammond man reported being robbed of guns and cash in Chesterton park, but police have questions. 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. 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. In a statement to Food Dive, Fairlife said animal welfare is and will always be a top priority." "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. / CBS News. ", Richard Couto, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the footage released on Tuesday was the tip of the iceberg. A University of Oxford study found that on average, cows milk produces about three times as many greenhouse gas emissions than vegan milks. The cows shown in the video were not in federally inspected slaughter facilities and therefore not under USDA's authority, a spokesperson said. That case is ongoing. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. The dairy sector has seen its share of them. Here's a look at the top 5 trending stories on nwi.com yesterday. We are proud to report that we have not had another incident on our farm.. 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.". 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. After all, it's their product and their livelihood at risk since most calves sell for between $500 - $1,000. One of those men has since been apprehended and arrested. Fairlife, which is owned by Coca-Cola, quickly cut ties with the dairy farm after the video first went viral. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Warning: the video is very disturbing. The venue's $20 all-day pass grants access to the farm's public areas, including a birthing barn complete with stadium seating so visitors can watch calves being born. 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'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.. FAIR OAKS An audit of the operations of Fair Oaks Farms should likely be completed early next week. One person seen in the Animal Recovery Mission video was a third-party truck driver who was transporting calves, he said. 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. The controversy surrounding Fair Oaks Farms led to a flurry of social media comments, statements and responses as fallout from an undercover video showing animal cruelty at the popular Indiana . She is a graduate of Ball State University with a major in journalism and minor in anthropology. 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. Not to mention, the treatment of cows described by ARMs investigator is, unfortunately, standard practice across the dairy industry. Others boycotted dairy entirely, and switched to non-dairy milk, cheese, and ice cream. Unfortunately, the fourth employee's animal abuse was not caught at that same time. Fortunately, there are endless options when it comes to non-dairy milk, chocolate milk, yogurt, protein shakes, and more. 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. "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.". 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. Members worked as employees while wearing a hidden camera. The form however, doesn't specifically define what constitutes abuse. I am disappointed for not being aware of this kind of awful treatment occurring and I take full responsibility for what has happened. Criminal charges were filed against at least three of the workers. 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. Family Express CEO and founder Gus Olympidis was honored for his distinguished 44-year career in the convenience store business. Consumer fraud lawsuits were filed across the country against Fairlife and later consolidated in Chicago federal court. Federal lawsuit accuses Fair Oaks Farms of misleading consumers They also announced the farm's plans to install video surveillance on the property. Fair Oaks Farm, an agritourism destination, is located in Fair Oaks, off Interstate 65 in Newton County. 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. They are both owned by Mike McCloskey. 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. With that said, I am disappointed to learn of potential drug use on our properties. In case you need a refresher, heres a recap of the Fairlife investigation. WATCH VIDEO 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 calves appeared to stay in filthy, overcrowded and hot conditions. 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. On June 12, 2019, ARM released a cut of the investigators footage documenting cruelty on the dairy farm, which was taken with a hidden body camera. 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.". I also take full responsibility to correct and ensure that every employee understands, embraces and practices the core values on which our organization stands. Driver in ditch nearly 5 times the legal limit, Porter County police say. In addition to individuals and companies boycotting the business and its products, in June 2019 delivery services were temporarily suspended. Farmers and ranchers . More than a year after an undercover video campaign revealed animal welfare issues at Fair Oaks Farms, experts say there are important lessons to be learned. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, UPDATE: Death of Winfield woman ruled a homicide, coroner says, 2 Illinois men each sentenced to over 90 years for killing of Portage High School student, UPDATE: Parents discovered battered, deceased Winfield woman; remembered as 'amazing' nurse, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Crown Point schools release redistricting maps, 1 million-square-foot, 'once-in-a-lifetime building' walls erected in new business park, Passed-out motorist found with lit marijuana cigarette, Portage police say, Lake County investigators on scene of death investigation in Winfield, sheriff says, UPDATE: Lake Station police investigating possible homicide; suspect in custody, chief says, Man found dead from gunshot wound in Munster parking lot, coroner says, Kouts nurse practitioner found guilty of dodging federal payroll taxes, Lake Station man charged with murder in connection with deadly shooting, Riverfront district moves forward in St. John. The farm, which still has a. An undercover video provided by Animal Recovery Mission shows workers allegedly abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms in Newton County. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. People have been drinking cow's milk for thousands of years, but the nature of commercial farming has undergone vast changes in the past century. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. A recent video shows abuse of animals located on one of the farm's properties. UPDATE: Criminal probe launched into Fair Oaks Farms employees; companies pull products. 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. Fair Oaks, a sprawling dairy farm, was launched in 2004 by Mike and Sue McCloskey, who are also co-founders of Select Milk. We have been flooded with emails to ask if we are still undercover with the dairy industry and asking about Fair Oaks Farms. Fair Oaks Farms has emotional response to abuse video - AGDAILY They must also sign the Dairy Cattle Care Ethics Agreement on an annual basis. Please feel free to contact me if you have any comments or questions. The public on both sides of the controversial video was passionate about what it saw. 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. 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.. 2-year-old animal abuse video goes viral again, renewing calls to "But Fairlifes and its founders 'promise' is a sham. 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. 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. 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. As explained by the Animal Legal & Historical Center, ag-gag laws were actually first instituted in response to undercover activists, and these laws are the governments way of protecting the meat, dairy, and egg industries (which makes sense, since the U.S. government gives tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to the animal agriculture industry every year). Fairlife milk products are available nationwide. Organic dairy farms must also allow their cows to be able to graze outside.
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