« Organic Factory Farm Investigation
Idalou, Texas (May 17, 2014)
Update:
The general manager of Chino Valley sent NPR news the operating log for the facility the day the photographs were taken. The piece of paper indicates that the birds were outdoors. The 15 high-resolution photographs we shared with the USDA, shot from every angle, show no birds out in the middle the day (not in direct sunshine and not in the shade). Satellite images on two other days show no birds out. What should the public, the NPR reporter, and the USDA believe? The piece of paper or the photographs?
On more than one occasion Chino Valley invited representatives of Cornucopia to tour their facility. During investigations we don’t initially do arranged tours (sometimes as a follow-up). We visit farms on an unannounced basis to confirm compliance with the law. In this case, we sent a commercial aerial photography crew. We know from the testimony of employees at some of these “organic” CAFOs that when dignitaries, school groups, organic inspectors, or USDA investigators arrange in advance for tours, miraculously many of the animals suddenly appear outdoors or on pasture.
The day we took these photographs, May 17, 2014, had a high temperature of 82° (cool for this part of Texas) with no precipitation.
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