Dairy Report: Exports Set Records in August, California Dairy Faces Animal Abuse Allegations
Dairy Report 101320
Dairy exports are continuing to do well, even setting a monthly record in August.
The U.S. Dairy Export Council saying that the volume of dairy exports on a milk solids basis were up 17% in August. That's up 16% year-to-date.
August also marked a record month for dairy exports with the U.S. shipping more than 190,000 tons of milk powder, cheese, whey products, lactose and butterfat. The value of the exports was up 11% in August and up 14% year-to-date.
California Dairy Faces Animal Abuse Lawsuit
An animal activist group has filed a lawsuit against a California Dairy. The group, The Animal Legal Defense Fund releasing a video it claims shows abuse at the farm.
The organization is seeking to have Dick Van Dam Dairy of San Jacinto shut down permanently. It has posted a video on YouTube. We are showing you still photos from that video.
In the video actress Kate Mara claims undercover activists captured workers jabbing cows with wooden canes, twisting their tails and poking fingers in cows' eyes among other things.
The owners of the dairy speaking through their attorney telling "The Press-Enterprise" newspaper they reject the allegations adding that it is not the first instance in which this organization has engaged in a set-up.
The Dairy Farmers of America released a statement saying that while the farm is not a member of DFA, it has supplied small amounts of milk to one of its processing facilities. The company says it has ceased accepting any milk from the farm, adding "It is not part of our current milk supply or in our products, including DairyPure and TruMoo."
It also says a third-party audit is being conducted at Dick Van Dam Dairy.
