Indeed. We poured a lot of money into improving the lives of the animals through the years. Things are definitely better than it used to be for the animals. The conditions in some of these modern barns are worlds ahead of the past. Are all things perfect? Probably not, but it is a process.
> The biggest reason is they must be separated from the mother otherwise the farmer is losing money.
I do not deny that the calf is separated from the mother, but that is quite different to being individually penned up for years as you claimed. I don't know of any dairy farmer who keeps the calves individualized beyond the first month or so.
> I have a very hard time accepting you didn't know any of this having grown up on a dairy farm.
The veal we raised, once they were weaned from the milk, ate mainly grasses, and corn in their final days. The same diet we fed the beef cattle. The only real difference being that they went to market as a smaller animal. If you missed that window, they got sent to market as regular beef cattle.
There is milk-fed veal that you speak of too, but it seems to be less common in my experience. I know that some farmers do kept them tied up in small crates, but you're painting a whole industry with a small brush again. One abusive farmer doesn't mean that all farmers are abusive.
For what it is worth, I'm in Canada. Maybe the US has stricter definitions about what constitutes as veal, I don't know.
I will amend that Canada has supply management for dairy. American dairy farmers are, on the whole, far less wealthy. Perhaps that's where the discrepancy comes into play? I imagine if you cannot make ends meet, the animals will suffer. I really don't see things being nearly as bad as you make it out to be here though.