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Welcome to the Bull Vine Podcast, your go-to source for inside stories, cutting-edge research,

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and the latest updates in the world of dairy farming.

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In our 155th, we expose the eco-facade, how non-dairy brands mislead with greenwashing.

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So please grab a glass of milk, sit back, and let's get started with this episode.

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Welcome back to the Bull Vine Podcast, where we're not afraid to call out the bull in

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the dairy industry.

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I'm Bella, and with me as always is Douglas.

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Today we're diving into a topic that's got us more fired up than a bull in a china shop.

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We're talking about the massive deception being pulled over consumers' eyes by these

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so-called eco-friendly alternative milk companies.

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You know, the ones stealing money right out of hardworking dairy farmers' pockets while

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destroying generations of farming legacy.

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Well, folks, we've got the receipts.

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The UK's advertising watchdog just caught one of the biggest players with their hand

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in the cookie jar, and what they found is going to make your blood boil.

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Let's start with the great Oatley scandal of 2021.

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In January of that year, Oatley launched what might be the most brazen greenwashing campaign

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the food industry has ever seen.

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The UK's Advertising Standards Authority received a whopping 109 complaints about their deceptive

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marketing.

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Can you believe the audacity of these guys?

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They claimed their products generated 73% less CO2e versus milk.

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Turns out that was a carefully crafted manipulation.

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They cherry-picked data from just their barista edition while implying it applied to all their

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products.

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But that's not even the worst part.

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Their campaign featured children confronting their fathers about drinking cow's milk,

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flashing supposedly earth-shattering statistics.

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They claimed that the dairy and meat industries produce more CO2e than all the world's transportation

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combined.

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Planes, trains, cars, and boats.

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Talk about a load of bull.

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The ASA investigation revealed they deliberately excluded significant transport portions of

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emissions while counting every aspect of dairy production.

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They're not just lying, they're manipulating data to fit their narrative.

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It's absolutely disgusting.

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You're right, Bella.

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It's infuriating to see these companies get away with such blatant deception.

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But while we're on the topic of environmental impact, let's talk about the California water

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crisis these alternative milk brands don't want you to know about.

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You know, the one they conveniently leave off their eco-friendly packaging?

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Between 2004 and 2021, California's almond orchards exploded from 640,000 to 1.64 million

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acres.

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That's a lot of almonds, and it's created an unprecedented strain on California's water

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resources.

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Almonds now consume 4.9 to 5.7 million acre feet of water annually.

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For our listeners who might not know, that represents up to 17% of California's total

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agricultural water use.

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These orchards now use roughly the same water as all California households combined.

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It's insane.

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The consequences for rural communities are dire.

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As drought conditions worsen, these corporate farms are increasingly tapping into groundwater

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reserves, often the only source of drinking water for many Californians.

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Wells are running dry in rural communities while big almond corporations keep pumping.

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It's a water crisis that's tearing apart rural communities, and you can bet these alternative

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milk companies aren't putting that on their cartons.

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But the deception doesn't stop there.

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Let's talk about Alpro's failed attempt at greenwashing.

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In October 2021, Alpro launched their Good for the Planet campaign.

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They plastered buses with ads claiming their products were your recipe to a healthier planet.

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More lies, of course.

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The UK's advertising watchdog banned the campaign after discovering Alpro couldn't

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demonstrate the full environmental impact across its product lifecycle.

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These companies really think consumers are idiots, don't they?

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When challenged, Alpro tried arguing that consumers would understand their vague eco-friendly

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messaging.

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Well, that didn't work out too well for them.

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The ASA didn't buy it, ruling that their environmental claims were ambiguous and could

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be interpreted in multiple misleading ways.

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It's about time someone called them out.

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You're absolutely right, Douglas.

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It's high time we exposed the real impact of all this deception.

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The numbers are shocking.

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According to an investigation by the Changing Markets Foundation, almost half of consumers

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regularly choose products with environmental labels.

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And you can bet they're paying premium prices for these supposedly green products.

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In fact, one in three consumers are.

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But here's the kicker.

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Only 15% of sustainability claims about meat and dairy products are trustworthy.

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So these companies aren't just lying.

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They're profiting from people's good intentions.

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A staggering 42% of UK consumers admit they've been tricked into buying products with false

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eco-friendly claims, paying premium prices for empty promises.

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It's a corporate shell game, and consumers are the ones losing.

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And while these corporations are raking in the cash, what's happening to real dairy

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farmers?

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It's devastating.

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While legitimate dairy farmers invest in real environmental solutions, solar panels, methane

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digesters, water recycling, these corporations spend millions on marketing campaigns to hide

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their actual impact.

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Over 80% of their green claims relate to climate impact, yet more than half rely purely on

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offsetting rather than actual environmental improvements.

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The toll on human lives is profound.

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In the UK alone, falling prices and reduced demand led to the closure of 1,000 dairy farms

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from 2013 to 2016, roughly one in 10.

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And it's not just the UK.

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It's happening right here at home too.

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New York lost 1,200 dairy farms in just one decade as they struggled against low prices,

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decreased demand, and competition from these non-dairy brands.

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It's a grim picture, Bella.

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But what can real farmers do to fight back?

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We can't just sit back and watch as these corporations destroy generations of farming

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tradition.

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You're right, Douglas.

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There are steps farmers can take to combat this deception.

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First and foremost, farmers need to document and share their actual environmental practices.

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The dairy industry has already reduced its carbon footprint by 22% per liter of milk

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through legitimate, sustainable practices.

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We need to make sure consumers know about these real efforts.

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Secondly, we need to report false environmental claims to advertising authorities.

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The ASA has banned multiple misleading campaigns, but farmers must speak up when they see these

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deceptive practices.

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We can't let these companies get away with their lies.

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And finally, we need to remember that together, farmers are stronger than corporate PR machines.

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By uniting and presenting a unified front, we can combat these false narratives and show

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consumers the truth about sustainable farming practices.

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Those are great points, Bella.

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It's crucial that we stand up to these corporate giants and their deceptive practices.

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Listeners, the next time you see that shiny green label on an almond or oat milk carton,

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remember, you're not just buying imitation dairy.

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You're actively financing a movement that aims to obliterate family farms.

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How long will we allow these companies to evade responsibility rather than questioning

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their deceptive practices?

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It's time to stand with real farmers safeguarding genuine land for authentic families, not deceitful

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corporations trying to dismantle centuries of farming tradition.

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The decision is straightforward.

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Support real farmers or allow these lying corporations to destroy our agricultural heritage.

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Absolutely, Douglas.

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And let's not forget the real environmental impact of these alternative milk products.

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While they're busy pointing fingers at the dairy industry, they're conveniently ignoring

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their own massive water consumption and the devastating effects on local communities.

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Take the California almond industry, for example.

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The explosive growth we mentioned earlier isn't just about water usage.

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It's about the displacement of diverse crops, the loss of wildlife habitats, and the strain

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on local infrastructure.

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These are real, tangible impacts that affect people's lives every day.

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And what about the carbon footprint of shipping these products around the world, or the plastic

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packaging that ends up in our oceans?

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These are questions that consumers need to be asking, but instead they're being distracted

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by flashy marketing campaigns and false eco-friendly claims.

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You're absolutely right, Bella.

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It's time we started asking the hard questions and demanding real answers.

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At the bullvine, we're committed to fighting for truth and dairy, one corporate lie at

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a time, and that's no bull.

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We need to keep pushing for transparency in the food industry.

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We need to support initiatives that promote genuine sustainability, not just greenwashing.

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And most importantly, we need to stand behind our local dairy farmers who are the backbone

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of our communities and guardians of our agricultural heritage.

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Couldn't agree more, Douglas.

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To our listeners out there, we encourage you to do your research.

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Don't just take these corporate claims at face value.

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Look into the real environmental impact of your food choices.

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Support your local dairy farmers.

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Visit your local farms, talk to the farmers, and see for yourself the sustainable practices

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they're implementing.

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And remember, every time you choose real dairy over these imitation products, you're not

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just making a choice about your nutrition.

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You're making a choice to support real families, real communities, and real sustainable practices.

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Well said, Bella.

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As we wrap up today's episode, I think it's clear that this issue goes far beyond just

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dairy versus alternative milks.

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It's about honesty in advertising, responsible resource management, and the very future of

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our agricultural communities.

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We at the bullvine will continue to investigate these issues and bring you the unvarnished

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truth, because at the end of the day, that's what really matters.

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The truth, not corporate spin or clever marketing campaigns.

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Absolutely, Douglas.

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And to our listeners, we want to hear from you.

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Have you been misled by eco-friendly claims on food products?

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What's your take on this issue?

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Let us know on our website or social media channels.

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And that's all for today's episode of the Bullvine Podcast.

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Remember to subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

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And don't forget to visit us at www.thebullvine.com for more hard-hitting dairy industry news

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and commentary.

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Until next time, this is Douglas.

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And Bella signing off.