Canada’s largest dairy processor, Saputo (TSE:SAP), is once again accepting milk from the Chilliwack dairy farm where workers were recorded on camera abusing cattle.
Saputo announced June 16 it would no longer take milk from the B.C. dairy farm after video surfaced showing eight workers beating cows, wrapping chains around their necks and lifting them into the air, among other acts of animal cruelty.
The Montreal-based company reverse course June 20, announcing it was satisfied Chilliwack Cattle Sales had introduced “sufficiently adequate animal welfare practices (to) be implemented immediately.”
The B.C. Dairy Association (BCDA) confirmed all milk processors throughout Canada had taken the Chilliwack farm off its black list following new policies at the dairy producer.
The farm is now being monitored 24-7 through video surveillance and the BCDA is pushing for the immediate adoption of an employee handbook at the farm.
“The past few weeks have been a dark time for the B.C. dairy industry,” the BCDA said in a release.
“The animal abuse incident at Chilliwack Cattle Sales Ltd. has caused our industry to take a long hard look at industry animal welfare issues. We are looking toward the future and focusing on devising the steps necessary to assure that such an incident never happens again on a B.C. dairy farm.”
The B.C. agriculture ministry, the Farm Industry Review Board, The B.C. Milk Marketing Board, the B.C. Dairy Council, the SPCA and the BCDA meet this week to begin discussions over implementing strict enforceable animal welfare standards.
