Just weeks before the Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO) were set to crown the winner of their Best Veal Sandwich contest on the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) Celebrity Kitchen Stage in Toronto, the event was mysteriously shelved. VFO now claims it’s “on the hunt for a new date and location capable of containing all the excitement”, suggesting a larger venue is needed due to a “tremendous response”. However, it remains unclear how the VFO plans to find a grander venue than the CNE, Canada’s largest community event—boasting 1.6 million visitors in 2023.
This quiet cancellation comes just days after Animal Justice supporters and other advocates reached out to the CNE in advance of the August 17 event to point out that veal is an unacceptably cruel food product.
Calves Face Abuse on Veal Farms
Calves killed for veal face a life of heartbreaking cruelty and isolation. The babies are removed from their mothers shortly after birth, causing immense distress for both calf and cow. Next, they’re typically taken to small crates where they will spend the entire 18-20 weeks of their short, miserable lives in.
One undercover investigation at a Quebec veal farm found calves housed in crates so narrow they couldn’t turn around—intentionally designed to inhibit exercise and normal muscle growth so the calves’ flesh stays tender. These calves, sold as “white veal”, are fed milk substitutes purposely low in iron so their flesh will stay pale. The investigation also showed baby calves kicked, punched, slapped, and yelled at by workers. Many were grabbed by the testicles to force them into narrow stalls, and several were seen lying and gasping for air on urine- and feces-stained slats.
The Dairy Industry is the Veal Industry
The veal industry is a direct by-product of the dairy industry—to continually produce milk, cows must be forcibly impregnated annually. Female calves are often kept and raised to become dairy cows themselves, but male calves are of no use to the farmers. These calves are typically sold off and slaughtered for veal, or sometimes shot on-site to save resources.
The Welfare of Canadian Veal Calves
There are no legal standards protecting calves on veal farms, and many are still kept tethered—a practice banned in many other countries. Calves are also subjected to painful procedures such as disbudding, dehorning, and castration. Those raised for veal often suffer from arthritis, respiratory diseases, diarrhea, and ear infections. They can also experience severe psychological distress leading to abnormal repetitive behaviours due to their barren environment.
Industry-Wide Abuse of Cows and Calves
Time and time again, undercover exposés show that abuse is rampant in these industries. In 2021, Animal Justice released shocking footage from an organic dairy farm in British Columbia. The hidden-camera footage revealed workers violently beating cows, and newborn calves tossed into wheelbarrows immediately after birth, stolen from their mothers, and trucked off to veal farms.
How You Can Help
Animal Justice is delighted that the public rallied quickly to oppose this cruel event, taking a strong stance against celebrating animal suffering. However, the cruelty inherent in the dairy and veal industries persists.
Please take action today and ask the government to regulate and monitor farms, and install cameras that can be live streamed to the internet. The public deserves to see with their own eyes what happens behind the closed doors of Canadian farms.
