Danish Dairy Farmers Refuse to Allow Filming of Milk Production

Dairy company Arla—which controls nearly 90 percent of Denmark’s dairy production—has refused to allow animal-rights group Anima to film the treatment of cows and calves on its supplier farms. “We asked Arla to show us what the process of separating calf from mother was like and let us film, including when many of the calves are shot at birth,” Anima representative Kirsty Henderson told media outlet Independent. “[It] refused, saying [it] couldn’t show us because [it’s] not the farmers.” Anima launched an advertising campaign in 11 national newspapers offering $7,600 to any farmer who allows filming. A hotline was established and approximately 10 farmers expressed interest but none agreed. “Arla is a farmer-owned cooperative, and our farmers make and share their own videos explaining on-farm practice to Arla customers,” an Arla spokesperson said. “Educating the public on how dairy farming works is a high priority for our farmers. Many open their farms to the public on Open Farm Sunday, and we arrange school visits to both farms and our production sites across the year to enable the public to see for themselves how milk is made.” Anima explained that independent filming would give the public a chance to witness the cruel practices, not highlighted during farmer-operated tours, that are common in the UK and Denmark. The group is considering offering a similar incentive to British farmers in the future.