LIC v. Alexandre Family Farm
On September 30, 2024, Legal Impact for Chickens filed an animal-cruelty suit against Alexandre Family Farm for pouring salt into cows’ eyes, dragging disabled animals across concrete, starving cattle, and more. The well-known dairy has several thousand cattle and sells its milk at Whole Foods. But an April 2024 exposé by animal-welfare charity Farm Forward revealed “systemic deception, cruelty, and animal abuse” at Alexandre. Farm Forward put the exposé together with the help of rancher whistleblowers.
Alexandre calls itself “America’s First Certified Regenerative Dairy” and advertises its products as certified organic. Yet the Regenerative Organic Alliance condemned Alexandre’s “wrongdoings” and noted that the Alliance had already suspended Alexandre’s certification based on the Alliance’s own investigation. The Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA) has also spoken out against Alexandre’s cruelty.
LIC filed its complaint in California’s Humboldt County Superior Court. The complaint seeks an injunction to protect Alexandre’s cattle.
On February 7, 2025, Alexandre filed a demurrer. LIC responded in opposition to Alexandre’s demurrer on March 3, 2025. LIC’s brief explained: “The complaint alleges in great detail that animals suffer illegal abuse at the hands of defendants, who have a pattern and practice of starving and dehydrating cattle, dragging disabled animals across concrete, and pouring salt into cows’ eyes. This conduct violates animal protection laws that LIC is authorized to enforce. This Court is empowered to hear this case, and, if the Court ultimately deems appropriate, to enjoin such cruelty.”
On March 14, 2025, the Humboldt County Superior Court heard oral argument. Judge Timothy Canning presided. LIC’s Equal Justice Works fellow, Isabella Nilsson, argued for LIC. She explained that the complaint alleges ongoing strange and unusual animal abuse by Alexandre. Also in attendance were LIC’s co-counsel, the compassionate and knowledgeable Megan Yarnall and Frank J. J. F. Martin of Eureka-based Janssen Malloy LLP. We now await the Court’s ruling.