Veal Industry Embraces New Ethical Commitments in Hopes of Improving Industry Image

The veal industry expects to grow with consumer confidence.

That’s why the American Veal Association last month approved a host of new ethical commitments designed to be proactive in the industry and transparent with consumers.

The commitments outline goals for animal welfare, food safety, environmental stewardship, and labor and human rights.

Sonia Arnold, the association’s president, said the commitments were drafted in a way that is relatable to consumers to raise awareness about all facets of what the industry is doing to improve.

The association represents about 400 farmers, along with companies and processors involved in the production of milk-fed veal. Calves originate from dairy farms and are raised to about 6 months of age with a market weight of 500 pounds or more.

Production is concentrated in six states that have strong dairy industries — Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Last year, more than 300,000 animals nationally were raised for veal, and Pennsylvania accounted for a significant percentage of that.

“When it comes to veal, we have a good story to tell,” said Arnold, who is also the manager of nutrition, research and quality control at Marcho Farms in Souderton, Pennsylvania. “A lot of the animal agriculture segments are already doing things the right way, but we haven’t been communicating it in a way the public can understand.”

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We need to talk about veal | We Are Chefs

These days, veal calves are treated more humanely. Are we ready to embrace veal’s sustainable—and flavorful—attributes on the menu?

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more successful animal cruelty boycott campaign in the U.S. than that of veal 30 years ago. As late as the 1960s, Americans were eating about four pounds of veal each year on average—in such luxurious forms as blanquette de veau, breaded cutlets and calf’s liver with bacon.

Then, as imagery started circulating in the ’80s of calves tethered in cramped crates and subsisting on artificial formulas, sales took a nosedive, and they’ve never fully recovered.

The industry hopes that recent efforts to pull itself out of its ethical quagmire will spark a turnaround on dinner plates. Some chefs have embraced veal’s more sustainable—and flavorful—new direction, though others doubt broader consumer buy-in.

We Are Chefs is the American Culinary Federation’s digital content hub. It houses the digital version of The National Culinary Review (NCR), the ACF's bi-monthly flagship magazine for professional chefs and foodservice pros.

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Hog, veal, and egg producers brace for the start of Proposition 12

California’s Proposition 12 has generated widespread controversy and pushback among those involved in the egg and meat trades. A state ballot initiative passed by California voters in 2018, the second phase of the law is set to begin on January 1, 2022.

Under the law, veal calf producers are required to provide their animals with at least 43 square feet of usable floor space per calf. For hog producers, sows must have a minimum of 24 square feet of usable space per animal. Laying hens are required to be cage-free. Proposition 12 prohibits the sale in California of veal, pork, and eggs not raised in compliance with these regulations. This could have ripple effects for producers and consumers across the nation, leaving many anxiously awaiting what the New Year will spell.

For the veal industry, “animal wellbeing is our top priority,” said Dale Bakke, President of the American Veal Association (AVA).

“The care, handling, nutrition, and housing are all done to ensure calves remain healthy, grow and thrive. That has been, and will continue to be, a priority for AVA members who raise formula-fed veal. Regulatory mandates calling for a 43 square feet minimum floor space are unnecessary and are not supported by science-based facts.”  

Read full article in Urner Barry’s Reporter

Veal Stays Strong Despite Continued Industry Challenges

To say the past 12 to 18 months have been a challenge is an understatement. The food industry continues to determine the new normal during a never-ending pandemic as shortages of labor, supplies, and transportation plague the trade. But the veal industry is resilient and remains solid during these most challenging times.

Read the full article in National Provisioner

ReVEALed: The forgotten destination for 6% of Holstein bull calves

By Progressive Dairy Editor Peggy Coffeen

Not all Holstein bull calves become steers. A tiny sliver (6%) contribute to a specialty meat sector that so quietly complements the dairy industry, some of us forget it’s there.

However, American veal producers have a story to tell of animal welfare, modern production and their synergetic relationship to the dairy industry.

Read the full article in Progressive Dairy

Why the U.S. Veal Industry is Poised for Resurgence

Ryan Anguilm and his son, William, enjoy working together with the rest of their family, raising starter calves for Midwest Veal, LLC in northern Indiana. ( Maureen Hanson/Dairy Herd Management )

The dairy industry’s reinvented cousin is the veal business, an entity staging an exciting second act after years of decline. And like the phoenix that rose from the ashes in Greek mythology, it is poised to come back stronger and smarter than before.

If you’re a dairy producer who candidly admits that you don’t know a lot about veal, that’s okay. But you should. You might play a role in the veal production chain, and you definitely benefit from the industry’s existence. 

“Veal is the sustainability role model in animal agriculture,” said Dale Bakke, Director of Technical Services for Strauss Veal Feeds, Watertown, Wis., and President of the American Veal Association. “We take dairy bull calves that have little value in the rest of the dairy production chain, feed them co-products from dairy manufacturing, and turn them into a highly nutritious, premium food product, plus luxurious calfskin leather from the hides. It’s the ultimate upcycling story.” 

Read the full article in Dairy Herd Management.

Smaller but still superior is the motto of U.S. veal farmers

If veal is on your shopping list, Dale Bakke says you need not go looking for an imported brand shipped from “halfway around the world.” Bakke acknowledges the Dutch are the world’s largest veal producers, but he makes the case that U.S. veal farmers are “far superior.”

Bakke is president of the American Veal Association, which represents about 500 family farms that produce U.S. veal. Those farms are mostly in the Northeast dairy states of Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York.

“We strongly believe our U.S. veal farmers produce veal which is far superior in terms of food safety, quality, and it is more sustainable meat since it is raised and processed right here in the U.S. and not shipped from halfway around the world, ” Bakke said.

“Additionally, every calf from farm to market is completely traceable.”

Read the full article in Food Safety News.

State of the Veal Industry 2019

Members of the American Veal Association (AVA) continued their efforts this year in sharing their farm stories with others to learn how veal is raised today. As 2019 started, AVA released new videos on their website including one titled, “Meet America’s Veal Farmers.” Opening the barn doors, so to speak, has been a meaningful way for those interested in knowing how their food is produced to see firsthand the significant changes that have occurred in veal farming.

“I’ve been eating veal for as long as I can remember. To me, veal is incredibly delicious albeit often misunderstood,” says food writer Paula Jones of Bell 'alimento. “I’m so excited to share what I personally experienced and learned. What struck me the most is how large these animals are. They are about 500 pounds at 22 weeks at market. That is a large animal.”

Read the full article in National Provisioner

State of the Veal Industry 2018

It’s a simple request: “Rediscover veal” — and it’s what the president of the American Veal Association (AVA) asks of consumers. Dale Bakke is confident people interested in issues such as sustainability, affordability and animal welfare will find veal to be a great option in the meat case.

“We’re still celebrating our industry’s total move to group housing — a goal achieved in 2017,” says Bakke. “Given this and other changes AVA members have made in recent years, we’re asking people to reconsider American milk-fed veal.

Read the full article in National Provisioner

Let's Talk About Veal

These days, veal calves are treated more humanely. Are we ready to embrace veal’s sustainable—and flavorful—attributes on the menu? National Culinary Review takes an in-depth look at changes in veal farming and how chefs are featuring the meat on their menus.

Read the article here.

Reconsidering Veal

“If you're anything like me, you might have enjoyed veal on occasion, but perhaps been bothered by some preconceived notions,” registered dietitian Nicole Rodriguez writes. She shares what she discovered about veal on her blog Enjoy Food Enjoy Life.

Read the post here.

An Inside Look At the Milk-Fed Veal Industry

This Week in Agribusiness features a report with an inside look at the milk-fed veal industry and how those animals are cared for and raised. This segment is in Part 7.

View the Video Report

Veal Myths Busted

Did you know milk-fed veal calves are raised significantly different today? The American Veal Association (AVA) made a goal in 2007 to move completely to group housing over a ten-year period.

I had the opportunity to visit Strauss Veal Feeds and Midwest Veal just last week to see it all for myself.

Read the full article at AGWIRED

American Veal Association Confirms Mission Accomplished

Veal farmers knew a decade ago there was a better way to raise and care for milk-fed veal calves. The American Veal Association (AVA) established a goal in 2007 to move completely to group housing over a ten-year period. 

“As we start the new year here in 2018, I am pleased to confirm that all AVA-member companies and individuals involved in veal production have successfully transitioned to group housing and no tethers,” acknowledged Dale Bakke, AVA president.

Read the full article in NATIONAL PROVISIONER

Girl Carnivore holds Facebook Live on a veal farm; look what she saw!

Veal farmers knew a decade ago there was a better way to raise and care for milk-fed veal calves. The American Veal Association (AVA) established a goal in 2007 to move completely to group housing over a ten-year period. Since then, AVA members dedicated themselves to researching the best facilities to provide optimal care and the financial resources to make it happen by the end of 2017.

Girl Carnivore hosted a video tour of a veal farm in Indiana to see how the calves are raised. Watch the video.

3 Predictions for 2018: Trends in Grilling and Smoking

Veal is back: Remember veal? That mild, sweet meat so spectacular grilled in the form of a veal chop? After decades of pariah status (and chef boycotts), veal is finally returning to restaurant menus and meat markets. But this time you can eat it with a clean conscience thanks to a new generation of ranchers that are raising calves in herds on pasture grass outdoors. 

Read the Full Article at Huffington Post.

Veal Can Be the Green Meat to Eat

Tonight, for the first time in his tenure as chef at Gather in Yarmouth, Colin Kelly will serve veal. He’s put a veal roulade, seasoned with roasted garlic and herbs, on his New Year’s Eve menu. Until now, Kelly has avoided serving the tender, sweet protein because of the veal industry’s reputation for animal cruelty. But as the calendar rolls over into 2018, Kelly is buying what a growing number of Maine farmers are selling: the notion that veal can be raised humanely and sustainably

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Veal Producers Prepared for Barn Changes

Ohio veal producers are ready for the changing livestock housing requirements put in place by the industry about a decade ago. “Around 10 years ago, the veal industry decided to move away from tethers and stalls and move into group housing,” said Marissa Hake, veterinarian with the American Veal Association. 

Read the Full Article at Ohio's Country Journal

American Veal Commits to Innovation, Collaboration and Quality

The American Veal Association (AVA) represents milk-fed veal producers and those members are small family farms. We were able to learn more about the organization and its vision of being a source of information and collaboration to customers about the high-quality, safe and nutritious veal their members provide..

Read the full article and listen to the interview at Animal Ag Wired.

Ohio Ag Net Podcast with Dr. Hake

Joel Penhorwood talks upcoming veal housing changes ready to go into effect January 1, 2018. He hears from Marissa Hake of the American Veal Association.

Listen to the podcast.