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Watkins Glen Restaurant Misrepresents Veal Calf Treatment

Attorney General Urged to Redress Consumer Fraud

NEW YORK - October 21, 2002 - Farm Sanctuary's attorneys, Amy Trakinski and Len Egert, have written to New York's Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer, urging his office to "take immediate action to redress and prevent consumer fraud being perpetrated by Chef's Restaurant".

Chef's Restaurant in Watkins Glen, NY has said that calves raised by its veal supplier, Marcho Farms, are not tethered or confined. Belying Chef's statements are photos taken at Marcho Farms which show calves chained by their necks and barely able to move. Chef's also states "[l]evels of [drug] residue in veal calves are at the LOWEST LEVEL in the entire meat industry" (emphasis in Chef's original). In fact, USDA testing has found that veal is among the most likely meats to contain illegal drug residues.

Farm Sanctuary's attorneys wrote:

Chef's consistent misrepresentations and outright false assertions regarding the treatment of veal calves raised by its supplier and the relative drug residue levels in veal in general, constitute violations of New York's consumer protection statute (General Business Law, Article_22_A, § 349 et seq.)... Section 349 of the General Business Law prohibits "[d]eceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any business." Section 350-a prohibits "false advertising" which is "misleading in a material respect."

Hundreds of restaurants across the United States, including 89 in New York state and 13 in the small town of Watkins Glen, have pledged not to serve veal from calves confined in crates. Chef's restaurant refused to sign a pledge and then falsely stated that its veal supplier did not tether or cruelly confine its calves.

Information about Farm Sanctuary's work to prevent inhumane veal production practices, along with pictures showing conditions at Chef's veal supplier (Marcho Farms), can be found at www.NoVeal.org.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.