The New York Times quoted partner Stephen G. Larson in an article, “Is Dairy Farming Cruel to Cows?” examining the growing anti-dairy movement and the industry’s response.
As an example of how animal rights activist organizations have attempted to “demonize dairy as fundamentally cruel,” the article referenced the Animal Legal Defense Fund case filed against family-owned, Southern California-based Dick Van Dam Dairy in October 2020 following the release of video footage filmed by an undercover Animal Outlook activist posing as a farm employee. Stephen and partner Dana M. Howard represented the dairy farm in the baseless case, which was swiftly dismissed in its entirety without leave to amend—meaning that the complaint cannot be refiled—on Dec. 10, 2020.
The article noted that the case was dismissed because it lacked standing. “The accusation that they mistreated their cows is something that cuts the Van Dam family very deeply, because the truth is that they have always, for generations, cared about and cared for all of their cows,” Stephen told The New York Times.
Stephen “described the images [in the video] as staged or are taken out of context,” the article stated.
Read the full article by Andrew Jacobs of The New York Times here.
