5.27.2008

MUST READ: Movement To Boycott Tillamook Products

I first saw this referenced on the local craigslist and decided to read the report. It's appalling, but not all that surprising. This sort of "good ole' boys" (or as I call it today "the dick and tits club") bully mentality has permeated and tarnished the business world for decades.

That being said, there's something you and I can do. Notify Tillamook Creamery (use the 'contact us' icon at the top right) and let them know: unless they clean up their act and until they allow this farmer to return and fire and/or discipline the inspector who was making sexual advances on another (female) farmer, we won't be buying their products. Or say whatever you wish.

We can make a difference with our shopping choices.

4 comments:

tkn said...

Thanks for the heads up.

I used to think Tillamook was one of the better dairy companies.

here's my message to them:

I just learned about the poorly
thought decision to kick one of
the dairy farmers out of your
coop because of his standing up
for a fellow female dairy farmer
who was being sexually harrassed

I am a long time consumer of
Tillamook products but will be
no longer. I think this news is
disgraceful and I will never
spend another dime on Tillamook
products unless something is
done to rectify the situation
immediately and publically.

Nina said...

That's a good thing you did, sending them that letter. Keep me posted as to whether you heard back. Someone on craigslist posted Tillamook's reply to a similar message he sent them. Overall, the response was corporate posturing. While KATU may have misreported a thing or two, the bottom line remains the same and that is that Tillamook wrongly terminated their business relationship with this farmer.

I'm disappointed. I've been buying their products since learning they stopped putting hormones into their dairy cows. I believe they bought out Bandon Cheese as well, so I'm not sure which cheese products we'll be buying.

Anonymous said...

I am a producer and member of the Tillamook
County Creamery Assoc. It is unfortunate that this story was produced as it was at a time when cop=op was not in a position to respond due to pending litigation. I would tend to want to boycott Anna Song and KATU news as this was a very biased story done apparently more for headline appeal than for interest in hearing the facts. While I can understand your reaction based on what you heard and understand that corporations due abuse their power often, however that just isnt the case here. The reason for the visits to the Clasen dairy had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with animal neglect which has been a frequent complaint at her dairy as well as with her 100plus dog farm. Avila has been a source of controversy from the day he arrived in Tillamook and the incident in December (where Gibson was accompanied by another TCCA employee in response to a complaint of animal neglect) was maybe the straw that broke the camels back but not a heroic deed as you might think. Please do not judge and punish a lot of good dairy folks based on limited information. There is so much more than you have heard and we do not deserve the negative publicity. Avila did bring about his own situation. As per creamery policy and as Anna failed to report even though she was given this info, he was paid for every penny of his milk for the 60 days following termination as is creamery policy. I hope you will at least try to consider that you don't have all the facts and take back your condemnation of Tillamook products.

Nina said...

You fail to go into detail about why Avila has been a source of controversy. I would like more details on that.

I realize there are two sides to every story. And I realize media often fails to report all of the details and adds in the station and station owner's own spin. I'll keep an open mind on this as I await further details from Tillamook and from Avila and Clasen.

as a side note: It's difficult to ascertain if you're just towing the corporate line or sharing factual information considering you opted to post anonymously.

Thanks for posting though.