image of pig in transport, Smithfield Foods is owned by China

Smithfield Foods Is Owned by China, but Pollution and Price-Fixing Is the Real Problem

Rumors and conspiracy theories about Chinese ownership of a major U.S. pork producer abound, but concerns might be misplaced.

image of pig on industrial farm staring at camera, african swine fever study

African Swine Fever Would Spread Rapidly Through U.S. Pork Industry, Study Finds

An outbreak is killing pigs around the world, and would likely spread quickly in the United States.

seafood vulnerable to climate change, image of person's hands holding oysters

Seafood Is Extremely Vulnerable to Climate Change, Study Finds

Over 90 percent of food harvested from marine and freshwater environments is at risk, challenging the idea that “blue food” is more sustainable.

image of stretchy cheese in pupusa, lab-grown dairy

Lab-Grown Milk Has Huge Potential to Disrupt Dairy, New Study Shows

Milk made with precision fermentation could take up to 33 percent of the dairy industry’s market share.

college student eating, plant-based defaults

Colleges Reduce Emissions by Offering Plant-Based Options by Default, Study Finds

Heard of plant-based defaults? It’s a simple idea that could be a major help in the fight against climate change.

close up of boat, industrial fishing harms

Industrial Fishing Harms More Than Just Marine Life

From dwindling fish to decimated communities in the Global South, nothing about the growing demand for seafood is sustainable.

image of horse on farm, horse blood farm

The Blood of Pregnant Mares Fuels Factory Farming – Literally

Female horses are drained of blood to provide a hormone used in pork production worldwide.

image of dairy calf, What Really Happens to Calves Discarded by Irish Dairy Brands Like Kerrygold

Here’s What Actually Happens to Male Calves After Irish Dairy Brands Like Kerrygold Are Done

A new investigation documents abuse and a 30 hour journey with no food or water.

image of chicken peeking out of basket, is avian flu endemic?

Is Avian Flu Already Endemic? Here’s What Scientists Know

The “sick bird markets” of Indonesia hold answers for our future with bird flu, a growing body of research suggests.

person scratching pig's chin, sanctuary strategy

Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary Is Strategizing to Save Animals

Michele Waldman realized she couldn’t save all the farm animals. But each cow, pig and hen at Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary serves as an ambassador on behalf of the billions.

crab traps - image of crab

A New Program Cleaning Up Crab Traps Is a Start – But Is It Enough?

Abandoned traps catch roughly 3.3 million crabs each year, on top of decimating seagrasses, coral and endangered whales.

Good Meat pilot plant bioreactor, Cultivated Meat study

What the Media Keeps Getting Wrong About That Cultivated Meat Study

A new study says lab grown meat is worse for the planet than beef, but what do the numbers actually say?

image of pig, What Is EATS Act

What the EATS Act Is, and Why It Matters for Animals

A coalition of lawmakers are backing the EATS Act in hopes of gutting the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the welfare provisions of California’s Prop 12.

Omeat cell-cultivated meat, image of plate and spaghetti and meatballs

Can Cultivated Meat Be Truly Slaughter-Free? Omeat Thinks So

As cultivated meat clears U.S. approval for sales, Omeat launches with a new strategy to ditch the controversial fetal bovine serum.

2023 Farm Bill, picture of a cow with ear tag

What the 2023 Farm Bill Could Change for Animals and Farmers

The 2023 Farm Bill offers lawmakers an opportunity to transform the food system but will they take it?

North Carolina manure lagoon storage, pork industry marketing

The Pork Industry Is Targeting People of Color – While Still Polluting Their Water 

Amid the World Pork Expo, the industry reframes “sustainability” and targets the very communities it pollutes.

Farm Sanctuary in Turkey, picture of camel

In Turkey, a Farm Sanctuary Became a Haven for all Animals

A farm sanctuary in Turkey rescued animals during the earthquake, and supported their humans too.

cow on feedlot, California climate law

A California Bill Could Reveal Corporate America’s Climate Secrets

The requirement to disclose scope 3 emissions — from the cows, not just the kitchen — is what’s rankling the food and agriculture industry.

avian flu virus mutation -- chickens in a backyard farm

Avian Flu Is Mutating. How Worried Should We Be?

A new study published in Nature finds genetic changes are making recent outbreaks of avian flu more severe in mammals.

In India, Climate Change Is Devastating Animals and Farmers Alike

In India, Climate Change Is Devastating Animals and Farmers Alike

A vicious cycle of poverty, climate change, and animal suffering makes dairy farming unsustainable.

Animal Welfare Economics

Meet the Economists Trying to Put a Price on Animal Suffering

Farm animal suffering is a hidden cost of cheap meat. Exactly how much is it worth?

Neuralink Can Start Human Trials After 1500 Animal Deaths

In Wake of Animal Testing Scandal, Elon Musk’s Neuralink Nabs FDA Approval

Elon Musk’s Neuralink has now earned FDA approval for human trials after a history of two federal probes and 1500 animal deaths.

rewilding wolves

Colorado Plans To Reintroduce Wolves but Is It Enough To Protect Them?

Ranchers are paid up to $15,000 per dead cow, and the state is authorized to kill wolves if wild prey numbers dip below a set threshold.

History of Dairy Ads

A Brief History of Milk Ads Reveals Big Dairy Has Always Struggled

The Aubrey Plaza campaign is just the latest in a long history of artists, celebrities and athletes hired to promote the dairy industry.

rewilding animal ag

Why Rewilding This Kind of Farmland Is a Win for the Planet

New research suggests rewilding is more effective than tree-planting, and when it comes to which land to rewild, the answer is also clear: farms. 

LA Teen Sues School District and USDA over Milk Mandate

LA Teen Sues School District — And the USDA — To Promote Nondairy Milk

A growing number of students are fighting back against the government’s milk mandate.

Animal Outlook

Tyson Foods Investigation Exposes Myth of Free-Range Chicken

An undercover investigator found water shortages and “free-range” chickens that never see the outside.

Global Development Banks Could Boost 'Climate-Friendly' Pork and Chicken

Global Development Banks Turn to ‘Climate-Friendly’ Pork and Poultry

A new report uncovers global climate investors looking to boost industrial pork and poultry.

Supreme Court Upholds Prop 12

Supreme Court Upholds Prop 12

In a 5-4 majority opinion, the Court upheld the rights of California voters to require pork sold in the state meet animal welfare requirements. 

Cultivated meat industry challenges

Cultivated Meat Startups Need More Scientists and Funding

Alt proteins are making th pitch for more federal funding as a new report finds startups need more “technical talent” to scale.

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.

Dublin Declaration scientists, image is tractor in field

The Dublin Declaration Is Riddled with Animal Industry Bias

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

how campus cafeterias became hotspots for climate action

How Campus Cafeterias Became Hotspots for Climate Action

To help slash emissions, college students are pushing for less beef and more plants on campus.

Honorable Murray Sinclair

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.

Some Muslims Want a Green Ramadan

Some Muslims Want a Greener Ramadan With Less Meat

A growing number of Muslims have been working to promote “Green Ramadan” — to help celebrants reduce food waste and eat less meat.

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.

the way we eat can harm and help biodiversity

The Way We Eat Can Harm — Or Help — Biodiversity

Two new biodiversity studies find a link between what we eat and the shrinking number of wild plant and animal species left on the planet.

7 Wildlife Species At Risk from the Willow Project

7 Wildlife Species at Risk From the Willow Project

Scientists warn the Willow Project not only damages the atmosphere but also threatens vulnerable wildlife — here are 7 examples.

manatee starvation caused by seagrass losses from water pollution

The Way We Eat Is Killing Manatees

Experts warn the Florida manatee is at risk of mass starvation as farm pollution continues to wipe out their primary food source.

Are we at risk for a swine flu outbreak?

What Do We Have to Fear From Swine Flu?

Most human cases of swine flu are found at agricultural fairs but there are other disease hotspots to consider, like factory farms.

Offshore Wind Isn't to Blame for Whale Deaths.

Offshore Wind Isn’t to Blame for Whale Deaths

Dominion Energy is working with federal agencies and marine life advocates to ensure offshore wind doesn’t harm vulnerable right whales.

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.  

Mexico poultry industry

Chickens Burned and Buried as Avian Flu Hits the Yucatán

Workers and residents say companies have downplayed avian flu, burning and burying culled birds just outside of town.

North Atlantic Right Whale

How to Save the North Atlantic Right Whale

There are ways to reduce risk to dwindling right whale populations, but only if lawmakers and industry have the will to take action.

High Seas Treaty: 5 Issues Facing Oceans

High Seas Treaty: 5 Pressing Issues Facing the World’s Oceans

Almost 200 nations have pledged to protect the high seas — but what does that mean for world oceans and the so-called blue food economy?

antibiotic resistant gene identified in feedlot water

Antibiotic Resistant Gene Found In Feedlot Water  

In a new study, scientists found an antibiotic resistant gene lurking in the bacteria of cattle feedlot water bowls.

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.

meat companies turn to prison labor

Factory Farms Are Sourcing Their Cheap Labor From Prisons

A new research project illuminates the connection between prisons and meat processors, and how both benefit from incarcerated labor.

how climate change killed migratory birds

How Climate Change Killed Thousands of Migratory Birds

Researchers call this effect “weather whiplash” but say sanctuaries and sustainable land strategies could help.

new study finds messages that highlight civic action and evolving together resonate

‘Eat Less Meat’ Doesn’t Work. Try This Instead.

A new study finds messages that stress civic action and collective evolution resonate better with focus groups.