Agriculture

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What Is the USDA?

What Does the USDA Do?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has many responsibilities, including oversight of the food system and rural development.

Big Chicken is Going After Climavores

Big Chicken Is Going After Climavores

Is eating chicken more sustainable than beef? The industry is misleading consumers with its “climate-friendly” marketing.

What are gestation crates?

What Are Gestation Crates?

Gestation crates are one of the most controversial aspects of pork production. But what are they, and why does the industry say they’re necessary?

animal industry influence in Dublin Declaration

The Dublin Declaration Is Riddled with Animal Industry Bias

The 1000 scientists who signed the declaration are far from impartial.

Culling chicks

Is It Legal to Kill Baby Chickens?

The egg industry continues to cull billions of male chicks worldwide each year — despite legal and scientific progress to curb the practice.

How is leather made from mushrooms?

How Do You Make Leather From Mushrooms?

Leather made from mushrooms is a cruelty-free and environmentally friendly alternative to animal hides, including cow and lamb.

What Is a Feedlot?

How Does a Cattle Feedlot Work?

What is a feedlot? These large fenced-off areas of land house thousands of cattle as they gain weight before slaughter. But how do they work?

plant-based history of the Dine people

The Fascinating Plant-based History of the Diné People

Often called Navajo, the Diné people were best known for herding sheep. Yet this Indigenous tribe originally ate a plant-rich diet of crops like beans, corn and squash.

Europe braces for new avian flu outbreaks

EU Braces for New Avian Flu Outbreaks

A new EU government report warns of an impending uptick in avian flu outbreaks, especially in areas with a high concentration of factory farms.

grass-fed vs grass-finished

Whether It’s Grass-Fed or Grass-Finished, Beef Is Still a Problem

Consumers want to know the difference between grass-fed vs. grass-finished but research shows all beef is bad for the planet.

Why Cedar the Goat Had to Be Killed

Why Cedar the Goat Had To Be Killed

When a 9-year-old tried to pull her goat from auction, Shasta County fair officials insisted the animal be killed to teach her a lesson about meat.

What Is Octopus Farming

Explainer: Is Octopus Farming Ethical?

A major seafood company is still moving ahead with its Canary Islands octopus farming operation despite ethical objections from researchers.

How new FDA labels tout dairy over public health

How New FDA Labels Tout Dairy Over Public Health

The proposed FDA label guidance implicitly favors single “superfoods” and dairy as the nutritional gold standard over a varied plant-rich diet.

what is sustainable agriculture

What Is Sustainable Agriculture?

Sustainable agriculture prioritizes natural resources and healthy soils but because the label is not well-regulated, any farm can call itself “sustainable.”

Four Challenges Facing Cultivated Meat

Four Challenges Facing Cultivated Meat 

From government approval to cultural pushback, here’s how 2023 looks to be shaping up for the cultivated meat industry.  

what is agroecology?

What Is Agroecology?

Agroecology relies on traditional Indigenous farming knowledge to make farming more sustainable.

what is fur farming

Yes, Fur Farming Is Still Legal

61 percent of U.S. voters support a ban on fur farming — yet the $22 billion industry is still legal in the U.S. and much of the rest of the world.

Spy cam reveals suffering and squalor on Red Tractor farm

Spy Cams Reveal Squalor and Suffering on Mega-Farm

Hidden footage captured at pork mega-farm Bickmarsh Hall reveals pigs living in filth and suffering from injuries.

dairy goat production

What Are the Impacts of Dairy Goat Production?

Goat milk has become increasingly popular, yet most consumers are unaware of the environmental and animal welfare impacts of dairy goat production.

Farmed Shrimp

America’s Farmed Shrimp Habit Is Fueling Antibiotic Resistance

Much of the farmed shrimp eaten in the U.S. is raised in India, where antibiotic use is rampant and underreported.

Broiler chickens

Why Do We Call Them Broiler Chickens?

The poultry industry uses the term “broiler chickens” to describe birds farmed for meat. But where exactly does the term come from?

What does "free-range" mean?

What Does “Free-Range” Mean?

“Free-range” farms must attest to USDA that they raise animals with continuous free access to the outdoors for more than 51% of their lives.

What Is Grazing?

What Is Grazing?

In animal agriculture, grazing is the practice of allowing animals to roam across land. Grazing allows animals to behave naturally but it also comes with many environmental downsides.

is organic food better for you

Is Organic Food Better for You?

What makes a food “organic”? One survey found only 20 percent of respondents knew the answer.

young girl carrying harvest of strawberries in a greenhouse

What Is a Food System?

Food systems refer to different ways societies organize the production and distribution of food. While some types put a strain on the planet, others have a smaller impact.

how many cows are killed per year

How Many Cows Are Killed Each Year?

Almost 300 million cattle were slaughtered globally in 2020, despite research suggesting cows are capable of feeling pain and distress.

companies failing cage-free commitments

21 Brands Fail to Keep Cage-Free Promises

Wendy’s and other national brands are failing to make good on their cage-free egg commitments.

why are egg prices so high?

8 Reasons Why Eggs Are So Expensive Right Now

Wondering why egg prices are skyrocketing? A mix of reasons — avian flu, inflation and shifting demand are all partly to blame.

Diseases Are Bred on All Animal Farms, Even the Ranches

A growing body of evidence shows that both intensive and extensive farms are increasing the risk of the next pandemic.

How Much Time Do Cattle Spend on Feedlots?

U.S. cattle feedlots house over 13 million cattle annually, maximizing growth before slaughter.