It's located in Fair Oaks, Ind., just off I-65, about 109 miles north of Indianapolis and. We have taken vigilant, unwavering steps to actively monitor all human-animal interaction 24 hours a day by installing cameras throughout our farms, and bolstered these efforts with hiring an on-site animal welfare expert and conducting regular third-party audits to confirm our monitoring practices, to ensure we havent overlooked anything, Fairs Oaks said in an emailed statement Thursday. 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. "This resulted in extreme pain and suffering by the calves, and in some cases permanent injury and even death," the statement continued. If the Dairy Industry Was a Country, It Would Be One of the World's Biggest Emitters, Report Finds, Milk Sales Drop by More Than $1 Billion as Plant-Based Alternatives Take Off. All Rights Reserved. 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. The cases were filed after non-profit animal welfare group Animal Recovery Mission released videos from an undercover investigation of Fair Oaks Farms showing animals being mistreated, which . 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 calves appeared to stay in filthy, overcrowded and hot conditions. , Webinar Fairlife dairy gets its milk from Fair Oaks Farms. That all seems unlikely, since all this happens behind closed doors, and any of those actions could hurt Fairlifes profits. "We've been trying to figure out where this regeneration of the videos has come from. But premium milk comes at a premium price. (WTHR) The Newton County Sheriff's Office has charged three people in connection with the Fair Oaks Farms animal abuse video. I am and will continue to be deeply involved in the resolution of this matter, down to every one of our employees, so that I can guarantee that these actions never again occur on any of our farms. Mike Withers has returned as president of Jewel-Osco after the last president stepped down after little more than a year in the job. Provided. And I watched the video, said Diane Mason, a reader from Melbourne, Florida, who reached out to the Tribune by email Thursday. 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. Fairlife milk products are available nationwide. Fair Oaks Farm is located in Fair Oaks, right off Interstate 65. So, in this instance our policy of cow care training "see something, say something" worked. 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. 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. 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. A Hammond man reported being robbed of guns and cash in Chesterton park, but police have questions. ", Anna Ortiz is the breaking news/crime reporter for The Times, covering crime, politics, courts and investigative news. Slashing Methane Emissions by 45 Percent Is Crucial to Avoid Climate Catastrophe and Easy, Says UN Report. 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. "Isolated incidents such as this are not indicative of how our countrys dairy farm families operate.". , https://t.co/F5bRlpWmVD This had to be the most disgusting & disturbing thing Ive watched. Of the four who were our employees, three had already been terminated prior to us being made aware months ago of the undercover ARM operation, as they were identified by their co-workers as being abusive of our animals and reported to management. 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 video posts also appear to show drug possession and use by farm employees. McCloskey, a retired veterinarian, and his wife Sue often used the word symbiotic to describe their relationship to their cows (which they referred to as their girls). 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. A roundup of crime stories from throughout the Region during the past 24 hours. 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. 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. The result is a milk with more protein and calcium, and less fat and sugar, than conventional milk. "With recent events involving Fair Oaks Farms, Strack & Van Til will be removing all Fair Oaks and related products until further notice," he said. UPDATE: Criminal probe launched into Fair Oaks Farms employees; companies pull products. 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. However, the spokesperson said the USDA is aware of the video and allegations of animal cruelty must be taken seriously. Ride along with LaPorte Police Specialist Justin Dyer as he patrols the streets of LaPorte. And, when cows died of sickness, their dead bodies were dumped outside out of the view of those attending Fair Oaks Dairy Adventure tours; and once cows could no longer produce milk, they were sent to slaughter for meat or dog food. 219-933-4194, anna.ortiz@nwi.com. 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. 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. Richard Couto, 50, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, said the actions depicted at Fair Oaks shocked even their seasoned animal abuse investigators. 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. Northwest Indiana companies and construction professionals can learn about the latest developments with gas hazards and gas detection technolo, A former social worker turned entrepreneur developed a vegan, plant-based icing that will be available at Strack & Van Til supermarkets in, The Coca-Cola Company and Fair Oaks owners Mike and Sue McCloskey are named as co-defendants in the suits, which are being consolidated into a. The suit alleges that this led many consumers to believe they were were paying a premium for that standard of care. | 2 p.m. We are proud to report that we have not had another incident on our farm.. Is the Government Really Paying Farmers to Destroy Crops and Kill Animals? A University of Oxford study found that on average, cows milk produces about three times as many greenhouse gas emissions than vegan milks. 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 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. 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Fair Oaks Farms is based in Fair Oaks, Indiana. 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. Derrer told TODAY that prior to the first video's release, her office had never received a complaint about Fair Oaks Farms. Fairlife, which is owned by Coca-Cola, quickly cut ties with the dairy farm after the video first went viral.