After World War II, when industrial principles were applied to farming and agriculture, "modern" methods dictated tethering calves in small, individual pens, or crates, and feeding them a "special" milk-formula diet. The system was thought to prevent the spread of illness and to efficiently and economically care for calves that were brought together from many dairy farms, making them highly susceptible to disease and stress. Today, we know better, and we understand that raising animals in this inhumane way caused unnecessary stress as well as unnatural behaviors. English veal producers were the first to take notice, making it illegal to raise calves in crates after 1989. By 2008, tethered and crate raised veal was banned throughout the European Union. Here in the U.S., the American Veal Association has voluntarily chosen to produce all special-fed veal calves in group-raised environments. But we believe that our calves and our consumers deserve better, today. That’s why in December 2008 Strauss became the first veal producer in the nation to raise 100% of our veal calves in a tether-free, group raised environment, a full nine years ahead of the industry deadline.