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Thursday, October 22, 2009

Critics say cow ads offer misleading view of dairies

The popular commercials featuring California's "happy cows" have come under fire from consumers and industry advocates who say the ads portray a misleading picture of conditions in the dairy industry. Speakers at last week's Cal-Poly dairy symposium said the spots make consumers feel betrayed when they discover the truth about the daily lives of dairy cows, Bob Meyer of Brownfield Ag News reports.

Charlie Arnot of the Center for Food Integrity says the industry should not be ashamed of the truth that cows live on concrete instead of the grass fields shown in the commercials. He told the crowd: "We should celebrate it!" He said selling consumers on the idea of a dairy industry long gone is like trying to sell them on a 1957 Chevy even though a 2010 one is a much better vehicle.

These attacks on the commercials aren't the first time the "happy cow" ads have come under fire. Dairy Herd Management Editor Tom Quaite told Brownfield the “Happy Cows” campaign was questioned a year and a half ago at the American Dairy Science Association annual meeting when a University of Florida animal welfare specialist alleged similar claims about misleading consumers.

The "Happy Cows Come from California" ad campaign is the product of the California Milk Advisory Board, which recently announced a new program, launched by the National Milk Producers Federation , that aims to show "consumers how California dairy farmers take care of their Happy Cows." The video below, created by the advisory board, is part of a documentary aimed to show consumers the dairy industry's efforts in sustainability and animal welfare.(Read more)

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