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Fair Oaks Farm, an agritourism destination, is located in Fair Oaks, off Interstate 65 in Newton County. 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. May 27 2021, Published 1:51 p.m. The cows shown in the video were not in federally inspected slaughter facilities and therefore not under USDA's authority, a spokesperson said. Their cows do not receive 'extraordinary care and comfort.' Five workers in the video were identified as participating in the alleged 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 minimizing of the graphic animal cruelty offers little assurance of change in a culture that is likely in need of fundamental retooling.". Cut ties with the supplier? A recent video shows abuse of animals located on one of the farm's properties. Mike McCloskey, owner of Fair Oaks, released a video Thursday apologizing after an und 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. 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. 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. ", Richard Couto, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the footage released on Tuesday was the tip of the iceberg. 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. "We are currently putting actions into place to ensure that this never happens again. Consumer fraud lawsuits were filed across the country against Fairlife and later consolidated in Chicago federal court. You can cancel at any time. {{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. -- Police are investigating allegations of animal abuse at an Indiana dairy farm, the Newton County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. 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. 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 investigator also noted that in his entire time on the job, the cows received zero medical care, despite many of them suffering from visible injuries and infections. 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. 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. 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. Fairlife is aware of the lawsuit and, in a statement provided to TODAY, said: "We are aware of the lawsuit and are reviewing it. Topics covered: R&D, flavor trends, health & nutrition, scientific discoveries, new ingredients, and much more. They must also sign the Dairy Cattle Care Ethics Agreement on an annual basis. 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. "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. "This resulted in extreme pain and suffering by the calves, and in some cases permanent injury and even death," the statement continued. Until these things are in place, Fairlife said no dairy from the video will be used in its products. However, this footage was a wake-up call to dairy consumers everywhere. 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 are proud to report that we have not had another incident on our farm.". On Wednesday it. The farm is located about 75 miles southeast of Chicago. The fourth was fired Tuesday, according to Fair Oaks Farms. After reviewing the video frame-by-frame, those three employees are responsible for the overwhelming majority of offenses seen in this video. But unlike the retailers, it plans to stick with Fairlife. We anticipate cooperation from both parties in this matter during this investigation.". 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 . Fair Oaks Farms was a popular place Since opening as a tourist attraction in 2004, Fair Oaks Farms has been considered the "Disneyland" of dairy farms. The animals depicted in this video do not fall within our authority.. On June 4, 2019, videos depicting employees abusing calves were released by ARM following an undercover investigation by the animal rights group. 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. 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. Fair Oaks Farms is based in Fair Oaks, Indiana. 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. 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. 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. 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 . However, as I have stated before, the fact that ARM takes months before notifying owners or authorities regarding on-going animal abuse is concerning. Couto supported the renewed calls for boycotting Fairlife, but said his target is much bigger the dairy industry at large. 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. While Fairlifes investigation went far more viral than any other undercover footage from a dairy farm has, there have been many other videos and documentaries revealing animal cruelty across the dairy industry and animal agriculture industry as a whole. Those wishing to report any suspected animal cruelty can call 219-474-5661 or 219-234-7014, the department's tip line. The Idaho native and University of Idaho grad has been with The Times since 2019. 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. The most-read stories on NWI.com during the past week. "We have staff in the farm sites regularly," she said. 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. He said sometimes videos from former investigations will resurface years later but the scope of this reemergence is fairly significant. In addition, Fairlife said they are immediately suspending milk deliveries from the dairy identified in the video. Unfortunately, the fourth employee's animal abuse was not caught at that same time. So even though Fairlife claims to be making efforts to improve animal welfare and sustainability at its supplier farms, there is no way for consumers to truly monitor it; plus, exploitation of the cows reproductive system and eventual slaughter are both unavoidable in the dairy industry. "Animal abuse in any form is not tolerated on US dairy farms," said Bjerga. Reaction was fast and furious when the video was released in June 2019. According to online federal court records, the next hearing will be a remote status hearing on July 15. 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. Mar 13, 2020. Animal Recovery Mission also alleges supervisors and owners at the farm were aware of the conditions and took part in the abuse. 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. 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. 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 also generally costs more. It worked. 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. "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. As a result, cows today produce up to 7 times more milk than their predecessors. 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. / CBS News. 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. Of the five, four were our employees and one was a 3rd party truck driver who was picking up calves. 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. , https://t.co/F5bRlpWmVD This had to be the most disgusting & disturbing thing Ive watched. 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 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. 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). And I watched the video, said Diane Mason, a reader from Melbourne, Florida, who reached out to the Tribune by email Thursday. 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. 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. On Wednesday, the company issued a new statement on its Facebook page taking "full responsibility" for the matter. But not his teammates. The fifth person is a truck driver who works for a third party. Fair Oaks Farm is located in Fair Oaks, right off Interstate 65. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. Animal Welfare Experts | Video Update | Fair Oaks Farms Animal Welfare Animal Welfare Experts Video Update Share Both of our Animal Welfare Experts continue to evaluate our existing training programs, our on-boarding process for hiring new employees and the continuous education of employees. ARMs Fairlife investigation proved that there is no way to truly know what is happening behind a farm's closed doors. 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. 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. 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. 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. And if you want to take further action, ARM's website has several suggestions for how to get involved. 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. 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. Jewel-Osco is also dropping Fairlife from its more than 180 stores, including in Dyer, Chesterton and Munster. An undercover video provided by Animal Recovery Mission shows workers allegedly abusing animals at Fair Oaks Farms in Newton County. 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. You can cancel at any time. The case was opened following the release of a video by Animal . 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. 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'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.. 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. Green Matters is a registered trademark. Fair Oaks Farms is the flagship farm for Fairlife, a national brand of higher protein, higher calcium and lower fat milk that's produced at a network of dairy farms and distributed by Coca-Cola. A University of Oxford study found that on average, cows milk produces about three times as many greenhouse gas emissions than vegan milks. Offers may be subject to change without notice. I am disappointed for not being aware of this kind of awful treatment occurring and I take full responsibility for what has happened. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. It's located in Fair Oaks, Ind., just off I-65, about 109 miles north of Indianapolis and. Now, the Chicago-based company is being sued for fraud since it promoted the extraordinary care and comfort of its cows on product labels and charged twice as much for its milk products. UPDATE: Criminal probe launched into Fair Oaks Farms employees; companies pull products. Claims like these inspire people to choose these products, because they believe that they are better. In addition to individuals and companies boycotting the business and its products, in June 2019 delivery services were temporarily suspended. Now millions more are becoming aware of these issues.". 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. 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. The video posts also appear to show drug possession and use by farm employees. "They recognize the seriousness of this situation as their founding principles are grounded in a strong commitment to sustainability, transparency and the highest standards of animal welfare. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. 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. As to the individual who worked for the transportation company, today, we will notify the company that he works for and he will not be allowed on our farms again. A Crown Point woman has filed new claims that she has been harmed by animal cruelty at Fair Oaks Farms. For further information on the progress of our commitments, visit http://fairoaksfarmsprogress.com.". Richard Couto, 50, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the actions depicted at Fair Oaks shocked even their seasoned animal abuse investigators. But somebody shared the video recently on Facebook and it caught fire again, putting Fairlife and Fair Oaks back on the hot seat. She is a graduate of Ball State University with a major in journalism and minor in anthropology. That all seems unlikely, since all this happens behind closed doors, and any of those actions could hurt Fairlifes profits. Four employees were fired and a truck driver who worked for a third-party vendor was banned from the farm. | 2 p.m. Those found guilty of animal abuse usually face dual penalties of jail time and fines. IE 11 is not supported. 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. Derrer told TODAY that prior to the first video's release, her office had never received a complaint about Fair Oaks Farms. Provided. 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.