Animal Welfare

California family dairy farms are strongly committed to maintaining a high standard for animal care and welfare.

Verified

California dairy farms are required to undergo a third-party, industry verification process to obtain certificates that demonstrate on-farm conditions and animal treatment practices comply with all standards and requirements.

Pre-Assessment: An initial review of a submitted application to assess potential compliance with Prop 12.
On-Site Inspection: In-person inspection of facilities, animals, products, and records within three months of pre-assessment.
Compliance Evaluation: Review of inspection findings to identify compliance status and any required corrective actions.
Certification Decision: A final review and certification decision based on inspection and corrective action documentation.
Annual Follow-up: Yearly inspection to maintain ongoing certification status.

Flexible

Dairy cow living conditions are adaptable depending on location and the type of farming system used, for example

In pasture-based systems, cows have access to open fields where they can graze, exercise, and interact socially, typically during warmer months.
Indoor systems, such as free-stall barns, provide protection from the elements and feature bedding like sawdust, sand, or “waterbed-like” mattresses. These barns are equipped with fans, sprinklers, and sometimes automated brushes to keep cows cool, clean, and comfortable. Cows in these barns still have plenty of space to walk, eat, drink, and rest.
In mixed systems, indoor housing is used during colder months and outdoor pasture access is used when the weather is favorable, ensuring they get the benefits of both environments.

Expert Informed

Dairy farmers across the state have formed partnerships with several industry experts, including University of California researchers and scientists and the California State Veterinarian to provide and improve animal care, food safety and farm security.

As prescribed by industry-leading livestock nutritionists, diets are tailored to the cows’ specific needs, considering factors like age, weight, and lactation status, with access to clean water and healthy food sources prioritized (Source: Caring for Dairy Cows: Dairy Nutrition by The Dairy Alliance)
Producers have close working relationships with veterinarians when providing animal care and treating livestock with medicine, who typically visit herds regularly, either weekly, monthly, or even daily, depending on the herd size. Additionally, dairy farmers utilize preventative care and routine veterinary check-ups to ensure the health and productivity of their cows (Source: https://animalwelfare.ucdavis.edu)

In Practice: Response to Bird Flu Outbreak

The ongoing nationwide bird flu outbreak has impacted the California dairy industry in several significant ways. In response to this crisis, our local dairy farmers acted quickly and thoughtfully to protect the health and safety of our workers and animals.

Our response was developed in accordance with the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) “One Health” directive and local health departments. Specifically, we have:

Distributed large amounts of appropriate PPE, including respirators, gloves, face shields and goggles
Administered additional seasonal flu vaccines for farm workers to protect them and their families from seasonal flu mixing
Complied with California’s robust mandatory testing program for dairy cattle and bulk tank testing, increasing our biosecurity measures and reducing the viral amount in California
Developed a proactive outreach and education program, in collaboration with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, CDPH, and CalOSHA, for dairy workers to build awareness about signs and symptoms of the virus, both in cows and humans

By building trust within our communities around reporting and treatment options and empowering our farmers and workers with knowledge and resources, we have successfully stopped the spread in our industry with no positive human tests for bird flu since early December 2024.

Unite With Us

Join us in preserving California’s way of life by supporting the future of the dairy industry and our communities. We are the generations of dairy farming families, small business owners, labor representatives and lifelong California residents.