Stephen Larson, a lawyer for Dick Van Dam Dairy, described the images as staged or taken out of context. Earlier this month, a judge dismissed an action against the farm brought by another animal rights organization, saying it had no legitimacy. “The accusation that they mistreated their cows is something that cuts deeply into the Van Dam family, because the truth is that they have always, for generations, cared for and cared for all their cows,” said Larson.
Dairy industry experts and farmers who watched the images expressed disgust and said the abuses described were not the norm. “These videos make every dairy farmer and veterinarian sick to the stomach because we know that the vast majority of farmers would never do these things to their cows,” said Dr. Carie Telgen, president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.
The effort to pit Americans against dairy products is gaining momentum at a time when many of the country’s farms are struggling to make a profit. Milk consumption has dropped 40% since 1975, a trend that is accelerating as more people adopt oat and almond milk. In the past decade, 20,000 dairy farms have closed their doors, representing a 30% decline, according to the Department of Agriculture. And the coronavirus pandemic has forced some producers to throw unsold milk down the drain, as demand for school lunch and restaurant programs has declined.
During his speech to the Oscar for best actor last February, Joaquin Phoenix drew enthusiastic applause when he asked viewers to reject dairy products.
“We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow, and when she gives birth, we steal her baby, although her cries of anguish are unmistakable,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. “And then we take her milk which is destined for the calf and put it in our cereal coffee.”
The National Federation of Milk Producers, which represents the majority of the country’s 35,000 milk producers, has tried to avoid sour public sentiment by promoting better animal welfare among its members. This means encouraging more frequent visits by veterinarians to farms, requiring low-income workers to undergo regular training in the humane management of cows and the elimination of tail cutting – the once ubiquitous practice of removing a cow’s tail.
“I don’t think you’ll find farmers out there who aren’t doing their best to improve the care and welfare of their animals,” said Emily Yeiser Stepp, who directs the federation’s 12-year-old animal care initiative. . “That said, we cannot be deaf to consumer values. We have to do better and give them a reason to stay in the dairy sector. “