America map

Dairy in the Americas: How Colonialism Left Its Mark on the Continent

The first cows arrived on the continent with Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. For many, milk is as much a drink as it is a symbol of their colonial past.

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.

After Three-Year Legal Battle, Justice Is Served at Pennsylvania Mega-Dairy

The Nestlé supplier faces criminal animal cruelty charges, financial penalties, and possible jail time for the farm’s owners following a 2018 investigation by Animal Outlook.

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.

Introducing the Anti-Racist Animal Advocates Group by Sentient Media

Advance your language and thinking around Black veganism and anti-racist practices in the Writers’ Collective new cohort.

The Great American War on Wolves

Keegan Sentner takes us into the heart of a centuries-long conflict designed to eradicate wolves from the American West.

UK Students Call for Plant-Based Meals at Universities to Fight Climate Change

Hundreds of students at over 20 universities across Britain are asking their administrations to stop serving animal products. How will the schools respond?

Wins and Losses From New York City Schools’ First Vegan Friday

Public schools in New York City will now serve plant-based meals on Fridays. The only problem is that “Vegan Fridays” aren’t entirely vegan.

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.

European Union to Ban the Routine Use of Antibiotics on Farmed Animals

An EU ban on the routine use of antibiotics that could change the face of intensive farming comes into force this month. Will producers comply?

Veterinarians Play Pivotal Role in Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance

The threat of antibiotic resistance looms large for veterinarians. We spoke with infectious disease specialist and veterinarian Dr. J. Scott Weese to understand why.

The Next Pandemic Is Already Here: Superbugs and Factory Farms

A new study published in The Lancet found that 1.2 million people died from antibiotic-resistant infections in 2019. Experts fear this is just the beginning.

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.

tule elk in front of a fenceline

‘The Situation Is Dire’: California’s Tule Elk Face Biggest Threat Yet

Tensions continue to rise between ranchers and activists at Point Reyes National Seashore after 72 more elk died this summer.

Inside the Dramatic Rise of Factory Farming in Africa

While factory farming is most prevalent in the Global North, it is gaining political support in Africa, and animals are paying the price.

man face behind leaves

How a Radical New Approach to Gardening Is Helping Communities of Color Heal

In Britain, Black people and people of color’s ability and desire to connect with the land is complicated. But those wounds are finally beginning to heal.

hens looking out through the slit of their plastic crate

In Europe, Authorities Struggle to Enforce Animal Protection Laws

A former UK police detective says abuse is tied to violent crimes like child abuse and sexual assault. Still, law enforcement agencies rarely prioritize animal protection.

Enclosed monkeys huddled over cages

Veterinary Records Reveal Primate Research Centers’ Long History of Violence

Decades of welfare violations at the National Primate Research Centers have led many in the scientific community to question the purpose of experimenting on animals.

cattle grazing

Vegans Are Buying Grazing Land and Giving It Back to Nature

In Britain, a crowdfunding campaign called the Vegan Land Movement is buying out grazing land from farmers to rewild it. The transition is proving more complicated than they expected.

sleigh reindeer in a snowy forest

Robots Could Replace Captive Reindeer This Holiday Season

This holiday season, thousands of captive reindeer will be put on display and used as props in Christmas parades around the world. Advocates say that needs to change.

Towards a Plant-Based Future: An Interview With Mark Pearson and Emma Hurst

Emma Hurst and Mark Pearson, members of Australia’s Animal Justice Party, sat down with Sentient Media to discuss their vision for a plant-based future.

Dairy Industry Takes a Page From Big Tobacco’s Book and Targets Kids With Flavored Milk

Serving flavored milk in schools has a dangerous downside, one that industry groups, parents, and nutrition experts have been fighting over for years.

How ‘Landless’ Pig Farms Break Animal Welfare Rules and Get Away With It

The rise of intensive animal agriculture in the EU has created a new phenomenon: the landless farm. Exempt from key welfare protections, these farms pose a serious threat to farmed animals.

mail icon on screen

Emails Show Meat CEOs Lobbied Federal Officials During Pandemic

The leaders of pork company Smithfield Foods and chicken producer Perdue Farms were in regular contact with government officials as the coronavirus began sweeping through their plants.

Entry to The Museum of the History of Cattle

Museum Exhibition Raises Awareness About the Lives of Cattle

The exhibit at the Museum of the History of Cattle, currently on display in Barcelona, “introduces the shared history of cattle and humans as seen by the cattle.”

Plant-Based Companies Call Attention to ‘the Cow in the Room’ at COP26

Animal agriculture is often left out of critical conversations about the climate crisis—including COP26. Plant-based food companies are calling for change.

COVID-19 Hit Slaughterhouse Workers Harder Than We Thought

A new Congressional report found that slaughterhouses owned by five major meatpacking companies accounted for at least 59,000 COVID-19 cases and 269 deaths.

Food Upcycling’s Untapped Potential

One-third of food produced around the world ends up in garbage cans and landfills. Advocates point to a simple solution: reusing food instead of throwing it away.

aerial view of tractor sowing in an arid field

First-Ever Net-Zero Certification Service Hopes to Increase Climate Accountability

The service offers companies “robust certification” capable of demonstrating that their net-zero target will reduce emissions at the pace and scale required to keep global warming to 1.5°C.

The Firms Keeping Big Ag in Business

Between 2015 and 2020, financial institutions gave over $478 billion to meat and dairy corporations around the world, largely without scrutiny.

Live crab and lobster poster

Meet John Oberg: Social Media Influencer for the Animals

Animal protectors come in many different forms. John Oberg takes his advocacy to Twitter and other viral platforms to make an impact.

circle of activist

Six Animal Rights Activists Were Arrested in Ontario. What Happened?

The arrests came just hours before a planned demonstration, organized by global animal rights group Meat The Victims, was supposed to take place at a turkey breeding facility in Ontario.

Haile Thomas taking a selfie with a rescued sheep at Farm Sanctuary.

Advocates Fight Back Against Rise of Animal Cruelty on Facebook and YouTube

As Facebook falls under the national spotlight, Jennifer Mishler takes a closer look at the rise of animal cruelty on the platform and what advocates can do to stop it.

Kristen Kinsella in front of the Guymon's city sign

At One of the Country’s Largest Slaughterhouses, Workers Say Their Injuries Were Ignored

Workers were told their injuries were “break-in pain,” soreness that comes from adjusting to life in a meatpacking plant. But some injuries were much more severe.

No-Kill Shelters Are Sweeping the Nation. That’s a Good Thing, Right?

No-kill sounds like a worthy goal for animal shelters, but it doesn’t come without controversy. Learn what no-kill means, why some are against it, and what you can do to help these animals.

man and woman smiling outdoors

Just Desserts: Great British Bake Off Welcomes First Vegan Baker

Plant-based baker Freya Cox joins this year’s lineup of “The Great British Bake Off”, one of the country’s greatest and most inclusive cultural exports.

vegans

Raising Vegans: Parents Counter Big Ag’s Influence in the Classroom

Vegans see the world differently, even from a young age. Jessica Scott-Reid shares some of the challenges of raising her daughter, who just started kindergarten, vegan.

An open rescue with Animal Equality.

Short Film Highlights the Dangers of Ag-Gag Laws

The film urges action on ag-gag laws, which seek to “gag” would-be whistleblowers by punishing them for recording footage of what goes on inside factory farms.

Noelle Paulsen, a volunteer with Solano Community Animal Response Team, kisses a rescued chicken from the Caldor Fire.

Rescue Teams Save 600+ Farmed Animals from the Caldor Fire

More than 600 farmed animals have been evacuated to three different shelters outside of the Caldor fire zone. That number is expected to grow, as teams work to bring every animal to safety.

vintage microphones with blue filter

Announcing the Sentient Media Journalism Fund

A new $10,000 fund for writers from communities underrepresented in the animal protection movement and/or journalism who wish to report on farmed animals.

Wildlife Killing Contests: The Pastime Putting America’s Coyotes at Risk

Wildlife killing contests are common across the U.S. Competitors kill coyotes and foxes for the thrill, often invoking the interests of the ranching industry to defend their conduct.

Comparative illustration of healthy food and junk food

New Documentary Hopes to Bring Vegans and Meat-Eaters Together

Meat and dairy have become central tenets of today’s climate culture wars. A promising new documentary, Meat Me Halfway, looks to diffuse the situation.

Investigators and filmmakers enter a turkey farm to document the animals and the conditions.

Jo-Anne McArthur Speaks Out Against Canada’s New Ag-Gag Laws

Award-winning photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur discusses Canada’s latest ag-gag law and how the industry’s ongoing attack on journalists and activists is impacting her work.

map inequality food

Food Redlining: How Two Bay Area Communities Are Fighting Back Against a Legacy of Racist Policy

Supermarkets often will not open stores in low-income neighborhoods, further limiting access to nutritious foods for their residents. Two California communities are taking a stand.

Farmers Caught in the Gears of Agricultural Industry

Farming was a sustainable way of life until corporate agriculture came knocking. Now, farmers are caught in the gears of an industry that prioritizes cheap crops and labor above all else.

Farm animals on a world map

Join Sentient Media’s Special Edition 30-Day Newsletter

The Sentient Media Social Media Fellowship is hosting a 30-day newsletter where you can learn more about global food systems from the perspective of 100 individuals in 12 different countries.