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.”

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.

factory farm pig

How Do Factory Farms Use Antibiotics?

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health threat responsible for 1.2 million deaths worldwide. A leading driver of this crisis? Antibiotic use on factory farms.

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.

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.

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what is animal welfare

What Is Animal Welfare?

Public opinion polls find strong levels of support for animal welfare laws aimed at improving the treatment of farm animals.

bees

Explainer: Which Insects Are Most Intelligent

Research shows honeybees can do math. Meanwhile some ants are building massive underground fungi farms.

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.

cows and climate

Explainer: Why Is Beef Bad for the Planet?

It all comes down to burps and land.

Why is cattle ranching bad for the environment

Why Is Cattle Ranching Bad for the Environment?

Across the globe, cattle ranching is a leading cause of environmental damage, including high levels of water use, deforestation and methane emissions.

How many sharks are killed

How Many Sharks Are Killed Each Year?

Around 100 million sharks are killed each year across the globe, often for their fins and cartilage.

Do Circuses Still Abuse Animals?

Though public opinion polls suggest most people do not support use of animals for circus entertainment, the practice continues unabated.

How water intensive is animal farming?

Explainer: How Water Intensive Is Animal Farming?

The leading driver of water shortages in the west? Crops used for livestock, like alfalfa.

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measuring methane from cattle burps

What’s the Best Way to Measure Methane From Cattle Burps?

Methane stays in the atmosphere for around 12 years, which can make it a tricky gas to calculate.

What Exactly Is the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet has taken the world by storm. But what is this diet and is it healthy?

Cattle Feedlots: What Are They and How Long Do Cattle Stay in Feedlots?

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

worst facts about factory farms

6 of the Worst Facts About Factory Farms 

More than 21,000 factory farms raise and slaughter billions of livestock animals each year in the U.S.

Broiler chick

How Many Chickens Are Killed Each Year?

Over 8 billion chickens are killed each year by the food industry.

Insect Farming

Insect Farming: What Types of Bugs Are Farmed?

Each year, over a trillion insects are farmed for human consumption.

12 Climate Solutions

12 Solutions to Climate Change

Here are 12 of the most effective ways to fix climate change. Everyone can help.

methane pollution explainer

Methane Pollution: Why Is Methane Bad for the Environment?

Methane is responsible for 30 percent of global warming since pre-industrial times. Emissions sources include natural gas, landfills and cattle farming.

what is a sustainable diet

The 4 Key Definitions of a Sustainable Diet

These four definitions will put you on the right path.

dairy farming

Why Is Dairy Farming Bad?

Dairy farming is the practice of raising animals such as cows, goats and buffalo to produce milk for human consumption.

Photographs of animal use from the Coulston Foundation, a former animal testing laboratory.

Explainer: What Is Animal Testing?

How many animals die each year from animal testing? Vaccines, medications and cosmetics are commonly tested on animals even though the process is cruel, unreliable and often inaccurate.

guide to vegan nutrition

A Guide to Vegan Nutrition: How to Get the Nutrients You Need to Stay Healthy

If you’re looking to try a vegan diet, read this guide first.

poultry farming

How Many Poultry Farms Are There in the U.S.?

Poultry farming is a popular method of food production that raises billions of animals each year for meat.

Why Is Eating Meat Bad For the Environment and Climate Change?

Meat consumption is contributing to the accelerating climate crisis.

Why Is Cattle Farming Bad for the Environment?

Cattle farming is the leading driver of deforestation and food-related climate emissions.

What Is Land Use Change, and What Causes It?

Over the last few centuries, human activity has caused land use change on an unnatural scale.

what is veal

Where Does Veal Come From?

In this explainer, we answer the question what is veal?

what is speciesism

What Is Speciesism?

Speciesism is the idea that only humans are worthy of moral consideration.

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

How Much Does the U.S. Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

A breakdown of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by state, sector, year and type of gas.

oyster farming

What Are the Environmental Impacts of Oyster Farming?

Oyster farming produces few greenhouse gas emissions but that doesn’t mean it’s good for the planet.

Is aquaculture good or bad?

Is Aquaculture Good or Bad?

In 2015, more than 100 million metric tons of fish were produced from aquaculture operations.

Aquafarming: What Is It and What Are Its Negative Effects?

Fish and other marine life are farmed in the billions, in the water-based equivalent of factory farming seen on land.

Shrimp Farming: Is Farm-Raised Shrimp Bad for You?

Communities around the world have raised and captured shrimp for centuries. Recent decades and growing demand have given rise to intensive shrimp farming.

Farmed Salmon

Farmed Salmon: Is It Bad for You and the Environment?

70 percent of the world’s salmon comes from farmed fish operations.

What Is Mariculture?

What Is Mariculture and What Are Its Environmental Effects?

Mariculture refers to the farming of fish, plants and other animals in salt water for human consumption.

animal ag contribute climate change

How Much Does Animal Agriculture Contribute to Climate Change?

Animal agriculture is responsible for 16.5 percent of all global greenhouse emissions.

commercial fishing

Commercial Fishing: What You Need to Know

The global commercial fishing industry is valued at $150 billion per year. Here’s why it’s wrecking the planet.

factory farm cow

What Is Factory Farming and Why Is it Bad?

The vast majority of farmed animals are raised on crowded factory farms that cause climate emissions and environmental pollution.

climate change

What Is Climate Change and How Do We Solve It?

The effects of climate change are real and on the rise. Scientists recommend a number of climate solutions to limit global warming.

turkey farming

How Are Turkeys Farmed?

The amount of turkey meat consumed has increased 104 percent since 1970 — virtually all sourced from animals raised on factory farms.