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We wanted to make you aware that two Indiana dairy farms are being targeted by the animal activist group Animal Recovery Mission (ARM). ARM was able to place an undercover activist on two of Select Milk’s dairy farms to work at each dairy for several months. This is the same group that had undercover employees on three dairy farms in Florida at the end of 2017.
Upon receiving an anonymous tip about the activists being on the farms, Mike and Sue McCloskey immediately reached out to F.A.R.M. to initiate third-party audits of each farm’s animal welfare practices.
In addition, the decision was made to go on the offense and proactively communicate with customers and consumers about what is known to date. A letter to customers and a statement released on Fair Oaks Farms’ Facebook page both reinforced the commitment that the Fair Oaks Farms’ team has to transparency, to animal care and to open dialogue about animal welfare and farm practices. The communication also committed that if any video footage released depicted animal cruelty, immediate and corrective action would be taken, including employee retraining, probation or termination and, if appropriate, legal action.
We believe that ARM plans to release video footage captured at each of the farms and are we actively monitoring for it. However, by receiving the anonymous tip, the teams at Fair Oaks, F.A.R.M. and Select Milk have been able to go on the offense to be the first out of the gate with messaging that strongly represents the dairy community, while also setting the tone and the narrative for Fair Oaks’ commitment to animal care and to being open and transparent.
While specific to Indiana, this situation serves as a good reminder for all dairy farmers to remain diligent when interviewing potential employees. It's also important to review your operation policies and practices with your current employees to ensure they understand and adhere to good animal care and handling.
Here are some tips:
- Do the right thing. Above all else, make sure your farm is exceeding all expectations for animal care, cleanliness and environmental responsibility whether there is a camera on you or not.
- Hire the right people. Do background checks, reference checks and ask for actual Social Security cards. Put new hires on probation and watch them closely. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. And if a potential hire is suspicious, share that information with other farmers.
- Empower your farm workers. Let them know of their importance as a team member in protecting your farm, and that you expect them to immediately report any strange behaviors or actions, or if they suspect any undercover activity. Use the See it? Stop it! Program to enable employees to stop and report animal abuse.
- Set expectations for animal care. If you don't have them, establish animal care protocols and train your employees. Require ANY farm worker that handles animals to sign document stating that they understand your animal care expectations and ask them to immediately report any actions that do not comply. Forms and templates are available from National Dairy FARM to prepare your farm’s animal care policies.
- Stay in touch with ADA Mideast. Call us at 614-890-1800.
Additional suggestions on hiring from agriculture attorney David Cook:
- It is legal to ask a potential employee if he or she is a member of or if they support an animal rights organization. Ask during the interview or on the employment application.
- Other ways to screen employees: Ask if the prospective employee is living in transient housing; ask how long they have been living in the area; ask if they have experience working in agriculture.
- Require employees to sign a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement. The agreement should include a clause for liquidated damages for taking or distributing photographs or video. If the employee violates the agreement, they may be subject to legal action and damages.
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