On June 12, 2019, ARM released a second and shocking investigation following its Operation Fair Oaks Farm Dairy Adventure in Indiana.
Between February and April 2019, an ARM Investigator was hired as a milker by a Fair Oaks Farms Fairlife dairy in Indiana. During this time, ARM obtained undeniable evidence of inherent cruelty subjected daily to dairy cows within industrialized food production systems.
This Fair Oaks Farms Fairlife Dairy is one of several dairies belonging to Select Milk Producers Inc, which is also the producer of the Fairlife label. Fair Oaks Farms was founded in 1999 by Mike McCloskey. In 2012, the Coca-Cola Company partnered (created a joint venture) with Select Milk to distribute Fairlife milk products. In 2015, Fairlife entered into an exclusive partnership with Chick-fil-A to create their Greek Yogurt Parfait; Coca-Cola also began to distributing Fairlife milk, Core Power, and Yup Milk that same year.
Fair Oaks Farms, headquartered in Fair Oaks, Indiana, and The Fairlife Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, have created brands about how their product is sourced based on promoting the proper and humane care of the cows. However, the ethical treatment and welfare of these animals are absent.
The cows are removed from their holding barns three times a day to be milked, day and night.
Daily, employees hit and punched cows and hit cows in the udders with milking claws. Cows were also poked, stabbed, and shoved with metal tubes and broomsticks. When cows in the milking line would not cooperate, frustrated employees bent and broke bones in the cows’ tails as punishment for not entering the confusing rotary system.
When dairy cows no longer produced milk or were too sick, workers told the ARM investigator that those dairy cows would go to McDonald’s for Big Mac’s or to become dog food.
These criminal acts of abuse of the dairy cows contradict the Fairlife and Coca-Cola statements.
Learn more about this investigation and read ARM’s in-depth report by clicking here.
As a consumer, you have the power to make more informed and compassionate choices so that the products you purchase are free from cruelty to animals and alignment with the company’s animal welfare stances.
Click on our CALL TO ACTION box for advice on ways to support this investigation.
Link to: Undercover Footage
Undercover Footage
Link to: Operation Photos
Operation Photos
Link to: Media
