TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – While some retailers in Indiana have chosen to pull Fairlife products from their shelves in light of a disturbing video released earlier this week, at least one local retailer has chosen to continue offering the products.
Baesler’s Market in Terre Haute will continue to sell the milk products, noting that the company halted deliveries from Fair Oaks Farm.
A video released by the Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) showed what appeared to be animal abuse and employee drug use at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana. The video was recorded during an undercover mission by the group whose mission is to “be an uncompromising defending force for the welfare of animals in addition to putting an end to and preventing pain, suffering and torture inflicted as a result of inhumane practices.”
Fair Oaks Farms is a supplier to the Fairlife brand; however, in Baesler’s statement, the store noted that only 5 percent of the total milk supply for Fairlife is provided by the Indiana-based farm.
Baesler’s statement regarding Fairlife
After receiving information directly from Fairlife (not to be mistaken for the farm), we have decided to not discontinue selling Fairlife products on account of three main reasons. First, Fairlife immediately suspended accepting deliveries from Fair Oaks Farm. Second, there are approximately 30 dairy farms that support Fairlife products, Fair Oaks Farm represented less than 5% of the total milk supply for Fairlife. Lastly, Fairlife has committed to conducting person and independent third party audits at all 30 farms within the next 30 days to ensure that the farms are up to their high standards of animal care.”
Statement from Fairlife
Valued Fans and Friends of fairlife,
We have become aware that an animal rights activist group (ARM) went undercover at one of our dairy suppliers, Fair Oaks Farms, earlier this year. ARM has recently released an animal abuse video and held several press conferences to make their findings public.
As part of our core values of responsible farming and animal care, we at fairlife LLC are taking this incident very seriously. We and Fair Oaks Farms are taking the following steps:
- Immediately suspend milk deliveries from the dairy identified in the video to fairlife;
- Fair Oaks Farm has terminated the four individuals identified in the video that did not adhere to the farm’s stringent animal welfare practices;
- As outlined in a letter from Dr. Mike McCloskey at Fair Oaks Farms, they have provided the video to local Indiana law enforcement to review for potential criminal charges against the individuals involved;
- Fair Oaks Farms commissioned an independent auditor, Food Safety Net Services Certification & Audit (FSNS C&A), recommended by the National Milk Producers’ Federation, to conduct an audit of animal welfare practices at the identified farm. Those results are public and will be made available at www.fofarms.com;
- Fair Oaks Farms has committed to conduct independent, unannounced and random audits and install video surveillance to ensure the highest levels of animal care are maintained;
- Until these new assurances are in place, no milk from the dairy in the video will be included in fairlife LLC products.
The dairy identified in the video represents less than 5 percent of fairlife’s total milk supply. Approximately 30 dairies support fairlife; therefore, we are visiting all supplying dairies in person and conducting independent 3rd party audits within the next 30 days to verify all animal husbandry practices at the farms, including all training, management and auditing practices. 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.
Please reach out to us with any questions about this matter. For information specific to Fair Oaks Farms’ response to this matter, please see
their statement
or contact
pr@fofarms.com
.”
