Press Release: New evidence of animal abuse by Alexandre Farm

This was originally a press release sent out on May 23, 2024

UPDATE: Farm Forward’s Investigation into Alexandre Farm Triggers Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department Investigation, Loss of Certified Humane Status, Changes from Organic Retailers; New Videos, Photos Released as Investigation Continues.

Pressure is building on Alexandre Farm a month after the release of Farm Forward’s investigation into their harmful and inhumane dairy farming practices as new alarming photos and videos emerge.

Since the release of an extensive investigation last month revealing Alexandre Family Farm’s animal abuse, selling of diseased animals for human consumption, and polluting farm practices, pressure has been building on the once widely endorsed “organic” dairy farm, with many businesses and organizations moving to withdraw their support:

• Whole Foods Market took down a major marketing campaign (archived here, current link is dead) featuring Alexandre Family Farm as a beacon for “restarting dairy” and referring to the Alexandres as “environmental stewards;”
• Alec’s Ice Cream, which relies on Alexandre dairy, apparently took down and removed the Our Impact page from its website, which claimed that Alexandre is “proving that cows actually help reverse climate change;”
• The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department opened an animal abuse investigation into Alexandre Farm, and Farm Forward has offered to provide eyewitness testimony;
• Certified Humane, one of the most widely available humane certifications, has pulled their certification of Alexandre Family Farm;
• Regenerative Organic Alliance suspended Alexandre’s certification after their own investigation found standards violations; and
• Providore Fine Foods in Portland, Oregon, ended their relationship with Alexandre Family Farm as a result of the investigation.

Portions of the report were included in a major story released by The Atlantic that corroborated many of Farm Forward’s findings. The article was one of the top shared stories on The Atlantic’s website for several days.

Today, Farm Forward has also released several new videos and photos that prove abuse and neglect of Alexandre Family Farm continued as recently as March 2024, the same month that Alexandre learned that Farm Forward planned to release a report alleging the farm’s widespread abuse. We hoped that Alexandre might acknowledge the harms it’s caused and make immediate structural changes to address their ongoing animal welfare issues. Instead, Alexandre continues to deflect, deceive, and mistreat cows. If Alexandre insists on moving ahead with no changes, the question becomes, how will other companies, certifiers, and advocates respond to their commitment to abuse and corruption?

Farm Forward Executive Director Andrew deCoriolis stated, “Alexandre Farm responding to our investigation by doubling down on their lies to consumers flies in the face of the values Alexandre claims to stand for. Despite its denials, we’ve received new evidence that Alexandre has continued the mistreatment, neglect, and abuse our report described. And at the same time, Alexandre has knowingly deceived consumers, continuing to market their products with logos claiming Certified Humane and Regenerative Organic Certified — certifications that pulled or suspended Alexandre. Unfortunately, this kind of ongoing humanewashing is both common and tolerated within the industry. While retailers’ quiet changes to marketing may mean fewer consumers purchase Alexandre’s products, we need retailers and food companies to take bolder action to hold companies accountable for abusing animals and misleading consumers. At this point, companies that continue to do business with Alexandre are supporting the mistreatment of animals and knowingly deceiving their own customers.”

Concerned consumers can continue to support Farm Forward’s push for change by signing up to join its campaign. Animal welfare certifications did not prevent these abuses, and most appear to be broken, so Farm Forward also asks conscientious consumers to consider rejecting dairy products altogether.

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