Jessica Scott-Reid

Explainer

How Good People Do Bad Things to Animals

The psychology of animal abuse at livestock auctions and slaughterhouses.

Research•8 min read

Fact Check

The Skin Benefits of Beef Tallow Are Lathered on Thick

How the beauty trend bolsters factory farming.

Mythbusting•5 min read

Explainer

How Climate Change Misinformation and Apathy Helped Trump Win

Trump’s win shows that misinformation is here to stay.

Election 2024•6 min read

Explainer

Farmers Are Feeding Candy to Animals, and It’s a Symptom of Larger Issues

Touted as sustainable, the practice brings up questions about surplus and waste.

Food•8 min read

Explainer

Weather Conspiracy Theories: How Misinformation Distracts from Climate Reality

The far-right’s claims about recent hurricanes, debunked.

Mythbusting•7 min read

Investigation

Misinformation on Climate and Meat Pushed by Russian-Backed Influencers in U.S.

One right wing influencer pushes meat and misinformation.

Climate•4 min read

Explainer

How to Spot Misinformation and Bias About Climate and Food in the News

Tips for recognizing common red flags and improving your media literacy.

Mythbusting•9 min read

Explainer

The Deep History of Racism and Speciesism Behind ‘They’re Eating the Dogs’

Tracing the history of a particularly harmful myth.

Election 2024•7 min read

Explainer

These Food Labels and Symbols Don’t Mean What You Think

Symbols like ‘recyclable’ and ‘compostable’ aren’t as reliable as you’d expect.

Food•9 min read

Explainer

Plant-Based Diets Boast Many Health Claims, but What Does the Science Show?

How to separate facts from fad diets when you scroll.

Health•11 min read

Investigation

Why Rodeos Are Still Popular When Marine Parks and the Circus Are Declining

Some forms of animal entertainment are going out of style, but rodeos persist.

Justice•9 min read

Solutions

‘Humane’ and ‘Sustainable’ Fish Labels Seek to Repackage Harsh Realities

Why consumers should beware the latest humane- and green-washing tactic.

Food•7 min read

Solutions

Fourth of July Fireworks Can Terrify Animals. Here’s How to Help.

There are ways to make the Fourth of July safer for pets, wildlife and farm animals.

Animal Behavior•4 min read

Investigation

Homesteading Is a Viral Trend, but ‘Butchery Gone Awry’ Is Its Dark Side

A growing number of backyard farmers confess they have no idea what they’re doing.

Food•6 min read

Solutions

Does ‘Less Meat, Better Meat’ Actually Solve Beef’s Climate Problem?

Research suggests grass-fed meat has a higher carbon footprint.

Climate•7 min read

Reported

The Magical Math of Climate-Friendly Meat

The meat industry is playing with the metrics that measure methane to make climate claims that don't add up.

Climate•11 min read

Investigation

Can You Trust a ‘Certified Humane’ Pet Food Brand?

We investigated the animal welfare claims on Open Farm’s pet food labels and found they don’t live up to the hype.

Food•6 min read

Explainer

‘Common Ground’ Isn’t Factual When It Comes to Cows and Climate Change

Methane and deforestation from farming cattle isn’t magically offset by regenerative agriculture. The new documentary mostly omits this truth.

Food•8 min read

Solutions

When Marine Parks Close, Whales and Dolphins Face Uncertain Future

Marine sanctuaries are a critical yet costly solution.

Entertainment•7 min read

Investigation

On Organic Caviar Farms, Fish Still Suffer

A new investigation reveals fish cut open while still conscious.

Aquaculture•4 min read

Perspective

Does Veganism Kill More Animals? The Argument, Decoded

One popular defense of a meat-heavy diet is the “crop death” argument, but does the evidence actually stack up?

Food•6 min read

Reported

Why Plant-Based Burgers at Fast Food Chains Get So… Mushy

We investigated why fast food chains can’t seem to nail plant-based meat, and here’s what we found.

Diet•8 min read

Reported

Beagles Are Bred by the Thousands on Factory Farms, and It’s Perfectly Legal

Charges against three animal rights activists for their open rescue of three dogs have been dismissed.

Justice•5 min read

Reported

Why the Fiber Industry Needs People to Eat Too Much Meat

Something unpleasant happens to your body when you stop eating vegetables.

Health•5 min read

Reported

‘The Smell of Money’ Film Is Bringing Together Environmental and Food Justice Advocates

A new documentary chronicles the damage hog farm pollution has caused communities of Eastern North Carolina.

Justice•5 min read

Analysis

Vegan Documentaries Like ‘You Are What You Eat’ Seem Damned If They Do or Don’t

Documentaries can lead to real cultural shifts — but that comes with predictable blowback.

Diet•8 min read

Explainer

The Bill Gates Bug-Eating Conspiracy, Explained

The surprising origins of the idea that billionaire Bill Gates wants to feed you insects.

Climate•8 min read

Explainer

Whether Veganuary Works Long-Term, It’s Certainly Better Than Nothing

Thinking of taking the Veganuary pledge? Here’s what you need to know.

Diet•6 min read

Explainer

Vegan Leather: What Is It Made From and Is It Good for the Planet?

Demand for cruelty-free leather alternatives are on the rise, along with a growing interest in materials that are better for the planet.

Climate•6 min read

Explainer

7 Tips for a More Sustainable Holiday Celebration

From plant-based eggnog to recycled wrapping paper, here are the best ways to curb your environmental impact.

Climate•5 min read

Reported

Farmers Are Leaving Animals to Die During Natural Disasters — and Getting Paid for It

Millions of animals die in floods and wildfires each year. Should factory farms be required to have a relocation plan?

Climate•7 min read

Explainer

5 Myths About Your Turkey Dinner

The real facts about this American tradition might surprise you.

Health•4 min read

Explainer

This Scary Ingredient Might Be Lurking in Your Halloween Treats

Derived from boiled pig and cow tissue and bones, gelatin is an ingredient in some, but not all, Halloween candy.

Health•3 min read

Explainer

The Open Rescue Movement for Farm Animals, Explained

The tactic of rescuing injured farm animals has helped animal rights activists win more court cases and nab the media spotlight.

Food•8 min read

Reported

The Real Reason There Are So Many Open Farm Days Might Surprise You

Open farm days are curated to show the public only what the meat industry wants you to see.

Food•8 min read

Reported

Why Do We Grieve One Kind of Cow but Not the Other?

The genetic link between orcas and cows might surprise you.

Science•4 min read

Reported

‘Blue Zones’: New Netflix Docuseries Highlights Plant-Based Longevity

A new four-part series on Netflix explores the secrets of centenarians around the world, including how they eat.

Health•3 min read

Perspective

There’s Nothing Natural About Modern Meat

Amid the fake beef culture wars, why does the "naturalness" of meat go unquestioned?

Diet•5 min read

Perspective

The Backlash to Plant-Based Meat Has a Sneaky, if Not Surprising, Explanation

During the pandemic, plant-based meat consumption and media coverage exploded. Now, a host of trend pieces decry its demise. That shift is no organic accident.

Diet•6 min read

Reported

Honorable Murray Sinclair On Indigenous Obligation to Beings of Creation

The Honorable Murray Sinclair worked to pass The Jane Goodall Act, which would turn Indigenous teachings on animals and wildlife into law.

Law & Justice•6 min read

Reported

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.

Aquaculture•5 min read

Reported

Please Don’t Gift a Cow for the Holidays

A growing chorus of animal advocates and researchers argue farm animal gifts cause more harm than good.

Investigations•4 min read

Reported

In Some Countries, Enriched Cages Stand in the Way

Consumers say they prefer "cage-free" eggs, yet some producers are slow to adapt.

Food•4 min read

Analysis

New Study Shows Canadians Should Eat Less Meat and Dairy to Reach Climate Goals

New research shows Canadians can reach their climate goals by reducing meat and dairy consumption.

Climate•4 min read

Reported

The Disturbing Rise of the Pseudo-Sanctuary

A new paper finds businesses that exploit captive animals for profit are marketing themselves as sanctuaries to draw in conscious consumers.

Policy•5 min read

Reported

Iowa Residents Have Lost an Important Right to Sue Factory Farms

Iowa residents once had a right to sue polluting factory farm neighbors, Now the Iowa Supreme Court has taken that right away.

Law & Justice•5 min read

Perspective

Most Publications Show Clear Bias When Reporting on Animals

Media bias goes far beyond the pages of newspapers and websites. It feeds a culture and legal system that allows animal suffering to go unnoticed.

Policy•4 min read

Perspective

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.

Food•5 min read

Perspective

The Cruelest Part of Dairy Farming Is Totally Legal

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the inherent cruelty behind dairy farming, but farmers are quick to come to its defense.

Policy•5 min read

Perspective

Animal Testing Isn’t Just Ineffective. It’s Holding Us Back.

The FDA believes that animal testing is necessary for medical research. But according to lawmakers, researchers, and scientists, that kind of thinking is holding us back.

Animal Testing•4 min read