May and June have been tough months for animal abusers in Colorado. Early last month, Mercy For Animals released hidden-camera footage of horrific animal cruelty on a pig factory farm in northeast Colorado. Two weeks ago, we released a second video, this time documenting workers viciously kicking, stabbing with screwdrivers, and mercilessly beating cows at a Fort Morgan dairy operation.

The local fallout from these two investigations was similar: Workers were dismissed and criminal investigations launched. But on a larger scale, the aftereffects could not have been more different. This contrast represents a chasm that now divides the largest players in the global food industry.

We conducted May’s investigation at a factory farm owned by Seaboard Foods, a major Walmart pork supplier. Less than three weeks after the footage was released, Walmart announced sweeping policy changes that would reduce the suffering of millions of animals every year. “Farm animals in our supply chain should be treated humanely throughout their lives,” the company proclaimed.

The second investigation occurred at one of the 15,000-member farms of the cooperative Dairy Farmers of America. Unlike Walmart, DFA was quick to retaliate. The company issued a biting press release — attacking the whistleblower for shedding light on cruelty — and launched a vengeful social media campaign in an attempt to shift the blame from animal abusers to those working to expose them.

DFA also conveniently ignored the factory farm owners’ complete failure to train employees on animal welfare or handling, their lack of oversight, and failure to address animal abuse when brought to their attention by the investigator or even monitor their own surveillance footage revealing routine, malicious abuse.

DFA was more interested in shooting the messenger.

By responding proactively to abuse uncovered on its suppliers’ farms — after facing years of criticism from concerned consumers — Walmart finally joined a growing group of food giants that have committed to treating animals better. This group includes Nestlé, which announced one of the most far-reaching animal welfare policies of its kind last August. It is also comprised of Saputo, Great Lakes Cheese, and Denver-based Leprino Foods, three of the world’s leading dairy companies. All of these businesses moved to prioritize animal welfare after we released undercover investigations of their farms.

As its vindictive reaction indicates, DFA has little interest in joining these retailers. In fact, it refuses to implement a single meaningful policy that could prevent abuse on its member farms. Its current program provides mere recommendations — not requirements — as to the proper treatment of animals, and it has no effective enforcement mechanism whatsoever.

Even its recommendations reveal a halfhearted attempt to rectify the most egregiously cruel and outdated practices. For instance, the program proposes a 2022 deadline for phasing out tail docking, the inhumane practice of slicing through a cow’s sensitive nerves and bone. Meanwhile, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the industry’s own trade association deem this cruel procedure outdated and unnecessary. Even Leprino Foods made an industry-leading commitment to phase out tail docking by the end of next year.

There is no question that DFA is on the wrong side of progress — and the wrong side of public opinion. Americans are fed up with the lies and abuse that factory farms are feeding us. More of us are choosing to reject needless violence by removing meat, dairy and eggs from our diets. And 94 percent believe animals raised for food deserve to be free from abuse and cruelty.

The companies aligned with this 94 percent are the ones that will succeed. Dairy Farmers of America, your customers are waiting.

Nathan Runkle is the founder and president of Mercy for Animals.

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