5 Things We’re Thankful for in the Fight Against Factory Farming

The road to improving farm animals’ lives is long but worthwhile and filled with ups and downs. This year, we’ve faced unprecedented threats to animals in the food system, including uncertainty about government oversight during the government shutdown and continued efforts to include the dangerous EATS Act in the Farm Bill, which would wipe out animal protection laws across the country.

There have also been bright moments and historic milestones in our movement to build a more humane, healthy and sustainable food system.

Together, let’s celebrate this year’s hopeful moments in the fight against factory farming.

We’re thankful for:

The organizations fighting factory farming in their communities. This year, our Fund to End Factory Farming supported seven groups on the frontlines of factory farming who are tracking and reporting the harms of industrial agriculture and building awareness in rural areas that more humane agriculture is possible. We are grateful to the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project for collaborating with us to identify these organizations.

The higher-welfare farmers proving that there’s a way to do better by animals and the planet. This year, more independent farmers have been urging Congress to listen to their needs and not just industrial agriculture trade groups. Last month, over 200 farmers showed up in Washington, D.C., to stand up for laws that protect farm animals, like California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’s Question 3, which ban the use of gestation crates, battery cages and other forms of cruel confinement. These state laws are under threat because of industry efforts like the EATS Act and the Save Our Bacon Act, legislation that seeks to drive pigs back into crates and hens back into battery cages.

The food companies that moved beyond industry norms and committed to improving animal welfare. Egg brands NestFresh™ and Kipster invested in state-of-the-art solutions to transition away from the deeply engrained industry practice of killing male chicks. These companies are leading the way by showing that sparing male chicks from needless suffering is possible and right. Pet food brands like Campfire Treats® and Evermore Pet Food continue groundbreaking work by putting in extra effort for the most neglected farm animals: chickens raised for meat.

The farm animal sanctuaries that work tirelessly to house, feed and rehabilitate animals abused in the factory farming system. Sanctuaries play a critical role in exposing the public to the realities of factory farming and educating them about alternative food sources, including plant-based substitutes. They offer unique opportunities to meet farm animals on a personal level and experience them as individuals. To find a sanctuary near you, the Open Sanctuary Project maintains a list of directories.  

The voices uncovering the true nature of factory farming and demanding change. From local to national media outlets and social media, journalists and creators are making the connection between factory farming, animal cruelty, public health threats and climate change. In April, author and animal advocate Sy Montgomery published an essay “What I Didn't Know About the Egg Industry Horrified Me” in The New York Times, detailing her shock at learning about the egg industry practice of male chick culling. In the podcasting space, FoodPrint covered the link between pet owners’ food options and farm animal welfare; and the Harkin Institute just dedicated an entire episode of their Canary in the Cornfield podcast to the EATS Act, and on social media, content creators who attended Farm Aid 40 are advocating for #farmsoverfactories.

Finally, we’re thankful for people like you who advocate for animals and the establishment of a better, kinder food system. Don’t miss an update — join our Factory Farming Task Force to continue making a difference for farm animals.