NMPF Statement on Video from Texas Calf Ranch
April 20, 2011
ARLINGTON, VA – “The dairy industry takes claims about animal mistreatment very seriously. Any evidence of animal abuse should be taken to the appropriate state and local authorities whose job it is to investigate those claims, and who can better address the deeply disturbing practices depicted by this video. We agree that animal cruelty is unacceptable, regardless of where it occurs.
“NMPF encourages farms to adopt the best practices in animal care. The new National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible ManagementTM Animal Care Manual has a specific appendix explaining the proper application of euthanasia. It does not permit manually applied blunt force trauma, as was depicted in the video. The program’s guidelines also disavow malicious striking or dragging animals, and encourage the use of analgesics during dehorning and debudding. Responsible animal stewardship is a good thing for people and cows, and the FARM program, developed by NMPF, is designed to promote the best practices in animal care that consumers have come to expect from the dairy sector.”
The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance the well being of dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. The members of NMPF’s 31 cooperatives produce the majority of the U.S. milk supply, making NMPF the voice of more than 40,000 dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies.
