“Extreme” animal cruelty revealed at major Arizona dairy farms
The horrific undercover footage was taken at dairy farms which supply Fairlife, a billion-dollar brand owned by Coca Cola.
A still from the investigation of Butterfield Dairy Farm. Credit: Animal Recovery Mission (ARM)
A new undercover investigation has revealed “extreme” animal cruelty at major dairy farms in Arizona.
The graphic and upsetting footage was recorded at two Arizona dairy farms which supply Fairlife, a billion-dollar brand owned by Coca-Cola.
Fairlife’s website states that the company’s goal is “that all cows and calves are provided with the best care possible”, and that it partners only with farms that “share [Fairlife’s] commitment to great animal care.”
But in an investigation released last week by advocacy group Animal Recovery Mission (ARM), farm employees can be seen committing “brutal cruelty” to cows and calves.
At Rainbow Valley Dairy, incidents included cows being stabbed, beaten with pipes, and electrocuted in the mouth and reproductive areas. Workers were seen using tractors to drag cows, while hundreds of dead calves were dumped on bordering public lands.
According to the investigators, every employee at the farm was caught committing animal cruelty.
A photo from the investigation of Butterfield Dairy Farm. Credit: Animal Recovery Mission (ARM)
The other farm visited in ARM’s undercover research was Butterfield Dairy Farm, a so-called ‘mega-dairy’ which houses around 25,000 milking cows. The farm also acts as a calf-raising facility for regional Fairlife suppliers, with a capacity to hold 5,000 calves.
In ARM’s video evidence, newborn calves are contained in illegal veal crates for five months or more. Calves can be seen suffering with broken limbs from rough handling. The animals are also reportedly exposed to life-threatening heat and disease, as well as sedation to limit movement.
Investigators at Butterfield also noted how dead calves were discarded and mixed with manure to be used as fertilizer.
“I have never witnessed such brutal cruelty—cows and calves tortured, mutilated, and discarded, all while Coca-Cola deceives consumers with false promises of care," said Richard ‘Kudo’ Couto, a spokesperson for ARM.
An aerial view of Butterfield Dairy Farm. Credit: Animal Recovery Mission (ARM)
The Florida-based animal advocacy group says it has passed its investigation along to the Maricopa Sheriff’s Office and federal agencies, which are reported to be reviewing the two cases.
Coca-Cola and FairLife had already promised animal welfare reform following previous ARM exposés back in 2019 and 2023 that uncovered shocking animal abuse on dairy farms supplying Fairlife milk. The 2019 investigation, which went viral with millions of views and caused consumer outrage across the country, led to Coco-Cola agreeing to a $21 million settlement over a class action lawsuit that cited Fairlife misleading customers over its animal welfare claims.
With its latest investigation showing animal abuse still taking place at dairy farms which supply Fairlife, ARM says its evidence shows that Coca-Cola and Fairlife have “lied” about their promises to reform animal welfare.
ARM’s video investigation in full. Warning - distressing content.
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