WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Dannon is pleased to announce that McCarty Family Farms, one of the dairy farmers that provide milk used to make the Dannon portfolio of brands and products, has become the first dairy to successfully complete all four audit areas of Validus certification: animal welfare, environmental, on-farm security and worker care. McCarty Family Farms is a fourth-generation producer that operates dairy farms in western Kansas and Nebraska.
“We are proud of this accomplishment and of the teams that worked long and hard to achieve all four certifications,” said Ken McCarty, co-owner of McCarty Family Farms. “We believe this brings value to the Dannon products that are made with our milk. We truly believe that together we can change the world for the better and this is a step towards that.”
Validus is an independent certification company that works with farmers and food companies to ensure food is produced using socially responsible, on-farm production practices. Validus uses proprietary assessments and audits to certify products. In each of the four areas, farmers must meet strict guidelines set for that certification, which is given only after extensive on-site audits. More information about Validus certification is available here.
“We are committed to supporting the sustainability, independence and growth of the dairy farmers that supply the milk used in our products,” said Marc De Schutter, head of procurement for DanoneWave, the newly formed company that combined Danone’s dairy business in North America with WhiteWave Foods. “For the past five years, we have worked to build new ways of working with dairy farmers who provide the milk for the Dannon family of brands.”
As part of the Dannon Pledge, announced one year ago, farmers working with Dannon are required to obtain independent validation of on farm animal welfare practices via Validus. More than 90 percent of Dannon’s farmer partners have already undergone their first review with Validus.
About DanoneWave
Headquartered in White Plains, New York, and Broomfield, Colorado, the mission of DanoneWave is to bring health through food to as many people as possible via its diverse offering of dairy and plant-based foods in high growth and evolving categories. The ambition of DanoneWave is to produce healthful foods that create economic and social value and nurture natural ecosystems through sustainable agriculture. Every time we eat and drink, we vote for the world we want. And as the largest public benefit corporation in the US, DanoneWave is taking bold steps for social good in North America. DanoneWave is a subsidiary of Danone and more information is available at http://www.danone.com/en/for-all/our-mission-in-action/danone-whitewave/.
About McCarty Family Farms
The McCarty family started more than 100 years ago with a small barn without electricity in northeast Pennsylvania. Four generations later, McCarty Family Farms is at home in western Kansas and Nebraska where it strives for the utmost in animal welfare, environmental stewardship, sustainable communities and the creation of safe, rewarding work environments.
About Validus Verification Services
Validus Verification Services is a division of Where Food Comes From, Inc. Validus is an ISO 9001: 2008 and ISO 17065 certified company with roots in on?farm auditing work. With concentration at the farm?level, their auditing services include animal welfare, environmental, on?farm security, worker care, food safety and quality, animal feed safety and sustainability. Validus’ mission statement is to provide on?farm audits and verification services, ensuring that production practices meet or exceed brand expectations in the marketplace. Validus is a division of Where Food Comes From, Inc. Where Food Comes From, Inc., North America’s trusted resource for third-party verification of food and agricultural production practices. To learn more, visit www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com and www.validusservices.com.
Source: DanoneWave
