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. "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. 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.". "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. One of the sugars, lactose, is eradicated completely making it safe to drink for those who are lactose intolerant. 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 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. It also generally costs more. Since the video's widespread release showing young calves being abused by Fair Oaks Farms employees, Strack & Van Til, Jewel-Osco and Family Express announced they are pulling Fairlife products from its shelves. ", Anna Ortiz is the breaking news/crime reporter for The Times, covering crime, politics, courts and investigative news. I am disappointed for not being aware of this kind of awful treatment occurring and I take full responsibility for what has happened. People are starting to do their own homework on this. He said on Friday, ARM will release another video he described as an hour and a half of consistent abuse.. She spends her time monitoring traffic and weather reports, scanning crime logs and reading court documents. Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts. Unfortunately, the fourth employee's animal abuse was not caught at that same time. 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. three times as many greenhouse gas emissions. 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. Nearly 50,000 people read a 2-year-old Chicago Tribune story on the alleged animal abuse at Fair Oaks over two days. 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. 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.". 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. Nothing is as important to us as the health and well-being of our animals, read a statement on Fairlifes website at the time of the scandal, as per ARM. Topics covered: R&D, flavor trends, health & nutrition, scientific discoveries, new ingredients, and much more. 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. The fourth was fired Tuesday, according to Fair Oaks Farms. On Monday, the Newton County Sheriff's Office announced that three people have been charged with animal cruelty. 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. 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. Organic dairy farms must also allow their cows to be able to graze outside. Olivia is the morning cops/breaking news reporter at The Times. Four employees were fired and a truck driver who worked for a third-party vendor was banned from the farm. 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. A University of Oxford study found that on average, cows milk produces about three times as many greenhouse gas emissions than vegan milks. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Times staff writers Joseph S. Pete and Anna Ortiz contributed to this report. "The expos of animal abuse in the Fair Oaks Farm network is chilling. 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. Five workers in the video were identified as participating in the alleged abuse. WATCH VIDEO June 7, 2019 / 12:36 PM The Dairy Report 061119. 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. 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. As a result, cows today produce up to 7 times more milk than their predecessors. One of those men has since been apprehended and arrested. As they considered what may or may not impact their ability to . The settlement received preliminary approval by an Illinois federal judge on April 27. The case was opened following the release of a video by Animal . 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. As a veterinarian whose life and work is dedicated to the care, comfort and safety of all animals, this has affected me deeply. By Clinton Griffiths June 10, 2019. 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. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. Those poor calves #boycottfairlife. In the video, calves are stomped in the head, kicked, dragged by the tail and ears, hit in the face with plastic milk bottles, thrown out of the back of trucks and into pens, and generally brutalized. Mar 13, 2020. https://t.co/iAybFVJeFg via @Change. An undercover video provided by Animal Recovery Mission shows workers allegedly abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms in Newton County. Conventionally raised cows may spend the majority of their lives in pens or inside barns in cramped quarters. "The response is similar to when we first published the footage on a smaller scale, with the outrage in general. Fair Oaks Farms was the worst abuse towards newborn babies that I have ever seen, Couto said Thursday. Then I searched for news on this and was surprised it was from 2019. 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. 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 undercover videos and ARM's animal abuse report on Fair Oaks Farms since had a snowball effect on the company. STAFF REPORTS. FAIR OAKS A second video has been released by undercover animal welfare investigators Friday afternoon, showing what the groups says is "an . The most-read stories on NWI.com during the past week. 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. 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. The abuse extends to kicking and beating calves, as well as force-feeding them until they can't breath. Fairlife has since "discontinued the use of milk from Fair Oaks Farms" in its products. 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. They also announced the farm's plans to install video surveillance on the property. 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.. 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. But conventionally raised cows may be given both growth hormones and antibiotics, regardless of whether they are sick. 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." And if you want to take further action, ARM's website has several suggestions for how to get involved. FARM mandates that all farm employees who handle animals must complete stockmanship training. It was evident to the investigator that it was the normal way to do business at the farm, the document read. Members worked as employees while wearing a hidden camera. "This is a much greater investigation and it's still ongoing," Couto said. And I watched the video, said Diane Mason, a reader from Melbourne, Florida, who reached out to the Tribune by email Thursday. The company's response to the first video as well as multiple grocers' quick removal of Fairlife products has signaled a change in public reaction where animals bred for dairy or even meat are concerned. It's a major reason why Coca-Cola acquired the remainder of Fairlife. One exception is Chobani, which last week said it was ending the production of its Chobani Ultra-Filtered Milk,which launched in February. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Fairlife said it hasimmediately suspend deliveries and will provide more animal welfare training for employees. -- Police are investigating allegations of animal abuse at an Indiana dairy farm, the Newton County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. 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. One of my friends on Facebook shared it. 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. A recent video shows abuse of animals located on one of the farm's properties. Fair Oaks Farms owner Mike McCloskey released this statement to WPTV on Wednesday, calling the workers' actions despicable: "This morning I was made aware of an animal abuse video that. , https://t.co/F5bRlpWmVD This had to be the most disgusting & disturbing thing Ive watched. Fair Oaks, she said, is no longer in its supply chain. There is likely still animal cruelty on Fairlife's farms in 2021. "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. 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. FAIR OAKS The Newton County Sheriff's Department has requested the names of former Fair Oaks Farms employees shown abusing young calves inavideo released by an animal rights organizationTuesday, according to a department news release. 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. In response, multiple stores stopped carrying Fairlife products, and numerous consumers boycotted the brand. 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 is committed to the humane and compassionate care of animals. 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. They are distributed by the Coca-Cola Company in the U.S. graphic video filmed at Indiana's Fair Oaks Farms, new footage was released by Animal Recovery Mission, thousands of smaller dairy farms closing for business, National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM), Grocery stores pull popular milk brand from shelves after disturbing video surfaces, the Chicago-based company is being sued for fraud, which still has a 4.5-star rating on TripAdvisor, retailers including Jewel-Osco, Tonys Fresh Market, Casey's and Family Express have stopped selling Fairlife products, The new laws will go into effect on July 1. 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. He said sometimes videos from former investigations will resurface years later but the scope of this reemergence is fairly significant. 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 statement that we grow and sell drugs on our farms is false. 219-933-4194, anna.ortiz@nwi.com. The farm, which still has a 4.5-star rating on TripAdvisor, welcomes about 500,000 visitors annually. Couto supported the renewed calls for boycotting Fairlife, but said his target is much bigger the dairy industry at large. No court records were available on the remaining defendants. Reaction was fast and furious when the video was released in June 2019. You can cancel at any time. Here's a look at the top 5 trending stories on nwi.com yesterday. In June 2019, ARM published a video (warning it's brutal) of the investigators most shocking footage, which quickly went viral. FAIR OAKS, Ind.- Fair Oaks Farms say they will be putting cameras on properties where they have animals. 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.". 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. | 2 p.m. tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to the animal agriculture industry, standard practice across the dairy industry. Because of these laws, there is no way to know for sure what is going on at Fairlifes farms. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "We will work with the Newton County prosecutors office to file charges for any criminal activity the independent investigation revealed. It's well-know that a suspected animal-abuse video was released by an activist group known as Animal Recovery Mission about the dairy operation at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana. 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 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. 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. 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. "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. In addition to individuals and companies boycotting the business and its products, in June 2019 delivery services were temporarily suspended. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. NEWTON COUNTY One of the three men accused of abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms is in federal immigration custody, according to police. , Webinar Soon after the footage came out, many consumers vowed to boycott Fairlife, and buy milk from otherdairy brands instead. 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. According to online federal court records, the next hearing will be a remote status hearing on July 15. A Crown Point woman has filed new claims that she has been harmed by animal cruelty at Fair Oaks Farms. "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. 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. On June 12, however, new footage was released by Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) purportedly showing Fair Oaks workers punching adult cows, hitting them with metal poles and allegedly breaking the tails of some cows which did not cooperate with employees. The fifth person is a truck driver who works for a third party. We didn't spur it on but we are glad it happened. 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. You can read more about the audits that Fairlife pledged to take on the brands website; however, the brand did claim to already have governance measures in place before the investigation, so many customers may find it difficult to trust these new procedures. The farm is located about 75 miles southeast of Chicago. Dead calves were dumped in mass grave sites by employees, the video shows. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. "But Fairlifes and its founders 'promise' is a sham. 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. After watching the video, the board reviewed compliance records and logs for Fair Oaks Farms and has since been directed to cooperate with authorities. Until these things are in place, Fairlife said no dairy from the video will be used in its products. May 28, 2021 at 9:40 am A 2-year-old video of alleged animal abuse at a northwest Indiana dairy farm has gone viral again, generating a new wave of social media outrage and renewed calls to.