Agriculture

Latest Updates

cow stall

Is Smart Farming Making Life Worse for Farmed Animals?

New technology is making farmers’ lives easier, but the increased efficiency they bring often comes at the cost of farmed animals.

meat industry

Meat Industry Relies on ‘Powerful Voice’ to Cover Up Climate Impact

A first-of-a-kind study looked into the UK meat industry. It found that the industry relies on misinformation to cover up its harmful impacts.

cow feed

Antibiotic Residue Found in Antibiotic-Free Meat at Whole Foods

A new study reveals that meat certified to be antibiotic-free was, in fact, raised with antibiotics. Another study found that organic farms were also not antibiotic-free.

burger table

How ‘Farm-to-Table’ Was Co-Opted by Big Meat and Dairy

The farm-to-table movement promised better, more sustainable food. But the idea has been co-opted by meat and dairy producers, who exploit it for their own financial gain.

farm

New Food Strategy Could Be ‘Massive Win’ for UK Farmers and Animals

A new national strategy hopes to modernize the UK’s food system by encouraging animal farmers to transition to more sustainable farming methods.

ducklings farm

Campaigners and Duck Farmers at Odds Over Future of Industry

“We are calling upon the [UK] government to ban this cruel industry,” said one campaigner. “There is no place in Britain or anywhere else for it.”

pig farm

In Vietnam, the Call for Factory Farm Divestment Grows Louder

The International Finance Corporation recently invested $26 million into Vietnam’s pig farming industry, spurring new calls for divestment.

farmer tractor field

How Big Ag Hurts Small Farmers: A Closer Look

With more than a quarter-million factory farms to its name, America has officially ushered in the rise of industrial agriculture. Small farmers are paying the price.

ukraine food war

‘Food Over Feed’: War in Ukraine Highlights Need for Dietary Change

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has caused the price of animal feed to skyrocket, intensifying food insecurity in much of the global south.

pig transport truck

Investigators Followed a Livestock Truck for 32 Hours. Here’s What They Found.

A new investigation from Animal Outlook documents what happens when animals are held in transport trucks for hours on end with no rest.

milk grocery store

What You Should Know About the World’s Top Dairy Companies

In the U.S., dairy farms generate $628 billion annually. And while they add to the GDP of many countries, they also cause harm that cannot be undone.

farm subsidies

Why Is U.S. Farming So Heavily Subsidized?

Farm subsidies are often cited as one of the major problems in our food system. But what are they? Learn more about which subsidies farmers receive and why.

salmon farm

New Study Shows How ‘Inefficient and Inequitable’ Food Systems Can Be

A new study reveals that millions of tons of fish caught in the global south are being fed to farmed salmon sold for human consumption in wealthier countries.

dairy cow barn

What Happens to Dairy Cows When They Get Old?

In the dairy industry, a cow’s life is segmented into predictable, routine steps to help farms make the most profit. We took a closer look at what happens next.

Experts Say Dairy Farming Is ‘Hardly Natural’. The Industry Doesn’t Agree.

The dairy industry will say almost anything, and we mean anything, to protect its image. Experts say this time it has gone too far.

chicks on a farm

The Key Differences Between Cage-Free and Free-Range Eggs

The terms cage-free and free-range may seem very similar but in reality, there are some key differences between the two. Here’s what you need to know.

The State of Mink Farming: What Changed During the Pandemic

Advocates have worked for decades to educate the public about the danger of mink farms. During the pandemic, their work became hyper-relevant.

man speaking at the American Farm Bureau Federation

The American Farm Bureau Federation Claims It’s the ‘Voice of Agriculture.’ These Groups Beg to Differ.

With millions of members, the American Farm Bureau Federation says it represents “divergent opinions.” But the farmers outside its circle believe it leans “heavily towards corporate interests.”

‘A Cow’s Life’: The BBC Documentary Everyone Is Talking About

A new BBC Panorama documentary has viewers taking to social media to decry the “shocking” and “inhumane” treatment of cows in the dairy industry.

What Would Happen if the U.S. Banned Factory Farming?

Meat, dairy, and eggs are woven into the fabric of American life and have been for as long as most will remember. But that, too, can change.

laying hen caged in a factory farm

What Happens Behind Closed Doors in the Egg Industry

The egg industry is a dark, complicated place. We took a closer look at the mistreatment of birds on egg farms and what you can do to help.

laying hens caged in a factory farm

Egg Farming: What the Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

Egg farming is the practice of raising birds—such as chickens, ducks, and geese—to produce eggs for human use. Take a look inside this secretive industry.

Cory Booker: ‘Climate Movement Doesn’t Talk Enough About Food’

Sen. Cory Booker wants to end the uncontrolled expansion of factory farming in the U.S., and he’s looking to the climate movement for help.

The Growth of Factory Farming in Kenya: An Interview with Judy Muriithi

Brighter Green’s Kwolanne Felix spoke with the founder of Lawyers for Animal Protection Africa about the growth of industrial agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Zimbabwe, Poultry Farmers Face a New Foe: Antibiotic Resistance

The rapid increase of antibiotic resistance is threatening the future of poultry farming in Zimbabwe. Experts say education is the root of the problem.

Rise of Antibiotic Resistance Threatens Farmers’ Way of Life

Farmers say they’re not to blame for the abuse of medically important drugs in animal agriculture. The problem, as they see it, is much more complicated.

Is This the Beginning of the End for Foie Gras?

Foie gras directly translates to “fat liver,” which is exactly what it is. Learn more about the birds who suffer so that people can eat this so-called delicacy.

Spanish Politician Sparks Fierce Debate Over Future of Factory Farming

Alberto Garzón recently called out his nation’s factory farming industry for being unsustainable. The criticisms were long overdue.

Antibiotic Resistance and Animal Farming: What You Need to Know

Experts believe that drug-resistant bacteria, many of which are born on factory farms, could be the cause of the next pandemic. We took a closer look.

Just 17 Plants Slaughtered 65% of U.S. Pigs Last Year

The number of hogs slaughtered dropped in the first few months of the pandemic before recovering to match—and in some cases exceed—2019 levels.