Hogs Animal Welfare

New Animal Activism Reports Released: Activists Connect in the Courtroom

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:42:28 GMT

As part of the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s mission to safeguard the future of animal agriculture, we work to make sure that farm and food communities have all the facts about what animal activist groups are really working toward. That’s why we’ve recently released two new reports that break down the strategic coordination and funding behind these organizations.

The first report, “ Radical Vegan Activism ,” looks back at statistics from 2024 to show the tactics, targets and driving ideologies of key players within the movement. The numbers tell an important story, with nearly one-quarter of all documented activist attacks focusing on farms and food businesses. It is of note that research institutions were reported to be the most targeted overall. When it comes to agriculture, documented actions included vandalism (59 incidents), animal theft or release (43 cases) and trespassing (31 cases).

The second report, the “ Major Animal Activist Groups Web ,” outlines the connections between well-known organizations based on staffing, funding and project collaboration.

While some of these groups have a more public-facing presence — such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) or Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society of the United States) — and often engage with the public and are seen on television commercials, others are working behind the scenes pushing legislation that is unfavorable to agriculture and, even in some cases, stealing animals from farms and facilities. The point of the “Major Animal Activist Groups Web” is to show that though groups may differ on how they get their point across, they are all working together in some ways to push for changes in modern animal agriculture that drive up the cost of production and threaten the availability of animal-sourced protein.

The web is updated annually with the inclusion of new connections and organizations. A key theme identified in this latest update was a focus on legal collaboration between groups. For example, Animal Activist Legal Defense Project is working to appeal a 2023 felony conviction of Wayne Hsiung , founder of Direct Action Everywhere and Simple Heart Initiative (a new addition to the web this year after holding an “animal rescue” event in Washington, D.C., this past March). Other legal focused groups recently added include The Brooks Institute and Legal Impact for Chickens.

The groups highlighted in this report represent a fraction of the activist landscape, yet together, based on the latest publicly available financial information, pull in more than $865 million a year — a significant jump from $800 million last year. As funding for activism grows, it’s more important than ever for those of us in the farm and food community to share our own stories. If we don’t speak up about what really happens on farms, we risk letting activist groups tell that story for us.

Want to learn more about protecting your farm or business from potential activist threats? Visit the Alliance website for more resources and information on proactive security measures.

Read more:
Jury Rejects ‘Rescue’ Defense: DxE Extremist Zoe Rosenberg Found Guilty in Chicken Heist

Don’t Let Activists Spoil the Fun this Fair Season

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:25:46 GMT

As we move into fair season this year, there are so many reasons to be excited! It’s a time to get out and visit with friends and neighbors, eat delicious snacks, and celebrate the hard work that youth put into raising livestock for shows. As a member of the agricultural community, this is also an invaluable time to reach outside the bubble and engage with the public about agriculture and where our food comes from. However, there are often detractors attempting to sway public opinion and, in some cases, even protest these events.

In recent years, animal rights groups have been known to protest with a variety of tactics, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) bringing their “Hell on Wheels” vehicle to the fairgrounds. This initiative from PETA is a large truck that is meant to look like it is transporting pigs – it also claims to be loud, playing “the screams of panicked animals.” Last year, this truck made an appearance at several Midwest state fairs and is currently circling the U.S. with recent stops in Nebraska, Indiana and Illinois.

Other tactics seen at fairs and expos last year include animal rights groups handing out stickers and other pamphlets. It was reported that a group of animal rights supporters previously handed out what seemed like coupons to fair attendees. These coupons claimed to be for free fair food, like turkey legs and pulled pork sandwiches, but when you scanned the QR code, it would take you to a website in support of their vegan cause.

Fairs have also been the target of animal rights groups protesting birthing centers, specifically those highlighting pork production. While this is a great experience for fair attendees to potentially see piglets born up close (and the care that goes into this practice), animal rights groups have used this as an opportunity to protest sow housing and farrowing stalls.

Unfortunately, animal rights activist organizations see fairs as a major opportunity to spread misinformation about our industry and to diminish the great work done in the agricultural community. The good news? There are some steps fair organizers and exhibitors can take to keep security top of mind and keep the fun times rolling:

• All events should have a crisis plan outlining who should do what in various scenarios – protests, disruptions, etc. Crisis plans can also address natural disasters, accidents and other issues that may arise during the event. During this planning process, local law enforcement should be consulted about how to handle activist activity at fairs.

• Keep an eye out for suspicious activity: people carrying signs or other protest materials, someone taking a strange amount of photos/videos or recording with their phone (livestreaming is a common practice), individuals asking very direct questions, etc. Report any concerns immediately to fair management.

• Avoid confrontation. Activists want attention – please avoid giving it to them. Keep your cool and let law enforcement or event management handle any issues.

I hope that this is truly a great fair season for everyone and that you don’t let the actions of animal rights groups stand in the way of this great opportunity to interact with the public and share what truly supports pig farming in the U.S. – great farm families, starting with youth!

Abby Kornegay is the manager of issues and engagement for the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

Take the Stress Out of Social Media: Navigate Detractors

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:56:23 GMT

Have you ever wanted to post on social media but were worried about potential backlash? You want to share your farm, but are worried about receiving potentially negative comments about sow housing? Maybe you are worried about getting tough questions about the use of hormones or antibiotics when it comes to feeding your animals or treating them for illnesses?

Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common for farmers, veterinarians and others in the ag community advocating for animal agriculture on social media. Negative comments have the potential to steer the conversation down an unproductive path. However, if you know how to handle contentious issues online then you can help people understand the animal agriculture community’s commitment to animal care, responsible antibiotic use, sustainability and other core values.

Before deciding how (and if) to respond to comments, take a deep breath and ask yourself a few key questions:

1. Is the comment relevant or is it completely off-topic?

2. Who has made the comments? Are they genuinely curious or are they a known extreme animal rights activist?

3. Consider, “Is it possible they have a different perspective?” or “Is there something that could have shaped this person’s opinion?”

4. Will responding to the comment help other people who will read your response?

If the person has left a completely irrelevant comment, don’t feel obligated to respond. If the comment included offensive remarks, feel confident in hiding the comment or blocking the person from commenting again. Remember, your social media page is your space, and you can set community guidelines.

Depending on who has left the comment can determine how you respond. By clicking on the commentor’s profile you can quickly learn if their comments come from a place of true concern and interest, like a parent concerned about feeding his or her children safe, nutrient-dense foods, or potentially an animal rights extremist with no intention of having a productive conversation about animal agriculture.

If you have concluded that the commenter is likely not open to having a dialogue, still ask yourself if responding to the comment will help others understand your perspective. Social media is a very public space and there are many more people reading your posts and comment sections than actually engaging.

Once you have asked yourself these questions and have decided that responding is your next step, look for common ground on a related topic – such as food safety and family values. Before jumping into the safety and animal welfare benefits of using antibiotics, validate their concerns and offer empathy. Then, ask permission to share your personal experience with using antibiotics on the farm. If the conversation is going well, follow up with the science and offer resources or other people to follow on social media if they are interested in learning more.

Most importantly, know that you can always ask for help. Bring in your friends who also have experience responding to contentious issues, reach out to your local partners, or the Animal Agriculture Alliance to help you moderate difficult conversations.

This is just a preview of the content and training available in the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Animal Ag Allies program. To sign up to become an Animal Ag Ally, go to and fill out the interest form to join our next class!

Your Next Read: Build Your Team Across the Entire Supply Chain

Early Returns Show Sonoma County Voters Reject Measure to Ban CAFOs

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:09:04 GMT

Despite campaign spending topping $2 million, Measure J initiated by the Coalition to End Factory Farming, a collection of animal rights groups that have been active for years in Sonoma County, Calif., appears to be headed for defeat with 85% of voters rejecting it as of the latest updated results on Nov. 6.

Measure J would have placed strict limits on the size of individual animal farms, banning any farm that meets the federal definition of a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), KQED NPR reports . Advocates campaigned on the argument that larger animal farms pollute the environment and are more likely to mistreat animals.

The measure, a first of its kind in the U.S., raised questions about financial costs, regulations and Sonoma County’s appetite for meat. Measure J would have impacted an estimated 21 farms that the campaign has identified as “factory farms.”

“Measure J poses significant risks to local, multi-generational farms of all sizes in Sonoma County, particularly in how it could exacerbate the already fragile economic landscape,” the Sonoma County Farm Bureau said on its website .

Local farmers, politicians and business groups overwhelmingly opposed the measure, arguing that it would put long-standing family-owned farms out of business, some of which have operated in the county for over 100 years, KQED NPR reports. Opponents argued it would have caused exponential job losses, higher food costs and less locally sourced eggs, milk and poultry; and that trucking these into the county would have negated the measure’s environmental goals.

“Had the measure passed, farms not in compliance, including well-known farms like Clover and Strauss, would have been fined $10,000 a day. It would have authorized civilian enforcement and tasked the county agricultural commissioner with implementing and managing a job retraining and reentry program for farmworkers who would have lost their jobs,” the KQED NPR article said.

The Coalition to End Factory Farming said it is planning a protest on Saturday and a community discussion on Nov. 15, CBS News Bay Area reports.

Your Next Read: Denver Voters Reject Slaughterhouse Ban: Win for Animal Ag

Protect Your Farm From Animal Rights Extremists

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 17:47:18 GMT

Let’s take a minute and get back to basics. Farm security is important for many reasons but can often be overlooked as farmers are busy with so many other important tasks. It can be easy to be lured into a sense of complacency when you know your neighbors, but those targeting animal agriculture are looking for any opportunity to strike.

Animal rights extremists continually attempt to gain access to farms and facilities by any means necessary – and oftentimes that comes with a lack of biosecurity measures like proper clothing and sanitizing. In the times of avian influenza and other contagious diseases, it’s more important than ever that we ensure we’re not opening up our farms to extremists and any potential new pathogens they may bring in. As you work to protect your animals, your property, and your employees, there are several aspects of implementing a strong farm security plan that can serve as your first line of defense. Here are three tips to get you started:

1. Start by making your farm “YouTube proof.”

Pretend someone is taking a video of your farm to share on YouTube. Are you comfortable with that scenario? Typically, we don’t get a heads up or time to prepare when anti-animal agriculture visitors stop by. Be proactive in ensuring you’re doing everything right ahead of time.
Protect yourself and your animals by always using science-based animal care and environmental policies. Make sure family members and employees are trained on these policies as well.
Conduct self-audits to find new ways to improve and ensure current practices and protocols are being properly followed.

2. Make yourself a harder target!

Put up “No Trespassing” signs.
Install motion sensor lighting and security cameras.
Have gates and fencing with locks – and make sure they’re locked when not in use!

3. Be cautious with hiring.

You might have done all you can do to protect yourself from unwanted visitors entering your farm, but extremists know other ways to gain access to your property, including through employment. It’s important to never cut corners on your hiring process and to always have a formal policy. This should include a written application with references and past employers. It’s imperative that you take proper precautions and call the employers to verify that this person is who they say they are.
Trust your gut. If something feels off, trust your instincts. Don’t hire someone that could be a potential liability down the road.

As we continue to combat animal rights extremism, it is increasingly important for everyone in the animal agriculture and food communities to keep security top-of-mind. America’s farms, ranches and food processing facilities are the front lines of our food supply. Keeping them safe and secure is essential to animal health and well-being, in addition to ensuring the safety of our milk, meat, poultry, eggs and seafood and protecting the reputation of our community.

Click here for more detailed advice.

Your Next Read: Animal Activists Persist: What It Means for Your Farm

Abby Kornegay is the manager of issues and engagement for the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

The Pros and Cons of Visa Worker Programs

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 13:00:01 GMT

H-2A. J1. TN. Don’t be intimidated by this short list of visa worker programs, Dianne Bettin of Bettin Consulting said during her presentation at the Ohio Pork Congress.

Visa programs connect U.S. farms with access to “amazing people with great work ethic,” she explains.

Bettin serves the pork industry today as a consultant helping farmers understand foreign labor options and connecting foreign workers to jobs in the U.S. pork industry. She recently retired as the human resources manager at LB Pork, Inc.

She says each visa worker program offers farms with opportunities, but she also points out that the programs each have their own challenges, too. From embassy issues and politics to housing and language, the struggles are real.

“In general, foreign labor is a very reliable work force – they show up to work every day, they rarely call in sick, and there are very few ‘no shows.’ In fact, I often have to remind them ‘you can’t work so many hours,’” Bettin says.

Think About This Before You Utilize Foreign Labor

Before utilizing foreign labor on any Visa, Bettin offers these five reminders:

1. Think about how the foreign workers will fit in with your work force and consider who will help them assimilate into work and everyday life here.

2. Housing will need to be provided or assistance in locating housing before employees arrive. This is especially difficult if they want to bring their families.

3. Transportation is key. How will they get to work? How will they get groceries?

4. Remember they will need a Social Security Number (if this is their first work visa in the U.S.) and assistance in securing a bank account.

5. Most foreign workers are used to a very different situation for medical care and struggle to understand our expensive and complicated system. Be prepared to help them understand!

If you are ready to meet these needs, here are the main foreign labor options Bettin recommends, along with pros and cons of each.

3 Foreign Labor Options

● J1 program
The J1 program is a government program that requires employers to work through an agency. Bettin explains that it is considered a cultural exchange program – not a work visa. With an agency’s assistance, an employer would develop a training plan, review applications and conduct an online interview, accept a trainee and then wait for their approval at the Embassy.

“The agency generally will charge a placement fee and a monthly fee,” Bettin says. “The trainee is responsible for their own travel and insurance. You can have trainees/interns normally for up to a year. There are some exceptions to the timeline, but not many.”

With the J1 program, employers are responsible for teaching new employees about agriculture and raising pigs all while giving them opportunities to learn language and culture in the U.S.

“The biggest drawback to the program is the 1-year timeframe paired with the fact that generally the trainee cannot come back to the same farm until they have been gone two years,” Bettin says. “This is very disappointing when you find someone who is a good fit for your company.”

● H2-A Visa
The H2-A program is for seasonal ag labor. Bettin says it is a very valuable visa for crop labor, seasonal trucking and maintenance, manure hauling, etc. She points out that managing H2-A paperwork is very detailed, so producers should use an agency to manage the process. There are also additional visa fees to the Department of Homeland Security as well as the placement fee and monthly fees to the agency.

“It is difficult for pork producers to utilize for pig work since raising livestock is a year-round enterprise. The process is highly monitored by the U.S. Department of Labor and audits are not uncommon. There is pending legislation to make this visa more available for livestock farmers but it has been a struggle to get the legislature to move it forward,” Bettin says.

Although you set the time frame you would like to have workers in the application, she says when they actually arrive depends on the visa approval process in each country.

“This visa is more expensive than the J1 because you are required to pay their travel expenses, provide housing at no expense to them, and pay a designated wage,” Bettin points out. “Beginning in 2024, the DOL has separated out some of the ag categories, such as trucking, into an even higher H2-A wage rate.”

Although every visa program has challenges, she says the greatest strength of the H2-A visa is that it allows farms to bring back former workers that know their operation and that they know they can trust with their farm equipment.

TN Visa

The TN Visa is part of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and the applicants must be professionals with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, Bettin says. The applicant’s title must match to an occupation on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) Designated Profession List.

“One of the big advantages of the TN Visa over J1 and H2-A is that it is good for up to three years,” she says. “You also don’t need an agency to utilize the TN visa but there are required steps and items to consider, so many choose to use an agency or consultant to cover all the bases.”

First, you need to find the candidates, Bettin explains. Then, it’s up to the consultant or employer to request a resume, set up an online interview and explain the TN visa requirements to make sure the candidate is eligible.

Once a potential employee is identified, she prepares letters and information needed for the employee’s DS160 and interview at the consulate.

“The Embassy interview is the most difficult part of the process,” Bettin says. “The applicant will meet with an Embassy employee who will decide whether or not to grant the visa. Once the applicant gets approved, they just need to wait for their passport to come back with the visa information.”

It’s important to note that the visa is to work for a specific company. Once they are there, if they wish to change companies, they must apply to USCIS for a change of company and get it changed or reapply. They cannot legally go work for anyone else until the change is approved.

“For all the visas, there are rules and fees along the way. For most, the TN visa is the easier to navigate and much less expensive than an H2-A,” Bettin adds.

Read More:

Attract and Retain Workers: What the Pork Industry Needs to Do Now

Whose Team Are They On? Improving Hiring Practices in 2024

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:00:00 GMT

One of the most common ways farms and facilities are targeted is by unknowingly giving an animal rights extremist access to the property via employment. There are several animal rights groups that hire “investigators” with the sole intention of finding “undercover” employment at a farm or facility.

Don’t wait for an employee issue or crisis to arise before you act. Here’s what should be on your 2024 hiring checklist:

Make your application process more formal.

It wasn’t long ago that some deals were made with a handshake and a verbal agreement, but it’s time to upgrade. It’s important to have a written application and a place for applicants to sign off verifying their identity and any claims made on the application.

Ask potential employees to consent to a background check.

Your application should ask applicants to consent to a background check and be signed by the individual applying, authorizing the company to perform background checks. If they refuse to consent, this should be a red flag.

Ask the right questions during the interview process.

Make the most of your time face to face with potential employees and ask the right questions. Here are some examples to help you dig deeper:
o Why do you want this job?
o What do you do for fun?
o What relevant experience do you have in agriculture?

Lean on the experts.

As always, make sure you are working with legal counsel to make sure your hiring process follows all state and local employment laws.

This important work doesn’t stop once the hiring process is complete. It’s important to make sure your company creates a culture where employee welfare is taken just as seriously as animal welfare. The ag community relies on our employees to help do the important work of raising animals and producing safe, nutritious food. Without help, it wouldn’t be possible to do what we do, and animal rights extremists are often searching for vulnerable targets to join their cause and help spread misinformation from the inside. Making sure your employees feel heard, valued, and integrated into your farm or companies culture helps make sure that we don’t give them this opportunity.

Resolve to make yourself a harder target in 2024 by reviewing this checklist and ensuring you’re able to confidently tick each item off when it comes to hiring new staff. We also encourage you to attend our 2024 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 8-9 in Kansas City, Mo., where Inspire PR’s founder Hinda Mitchell will being diving further into this topic. You can also reach out to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for more resources on hiring and farm and facility security. Lastly, always let the Alliance know if you ever notice suspicious animal rights-related activity in your area.

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Animal Activists Persist: What It Means for Your Farm

Why Meat Matters

Prepare for Animal Activism in 2024

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 20:42:06 GMT

The Animal Agriculture Alliance has concluded the release of reports from four prominent animal rights extremist conferences held throughout 2023. The conferences included: Direct Action Everywhere’s Animal Liberation Conference (ALC) (held June 9-14), The Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit (held July 27-30), Humane Society of the United States’ Taking Action for Animals (TAFA) Conference (held August 5-6), and Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Law Conference (held October 20-22). The Alliance also released a report from The Reducetarian Summit (held October 27-29).

Key discussions among speakers at these conferences included: a need for increased “investigations” and “open rescues” conducted at farms and processing facilities; calls for animal rights extremists to become more engaged politically and in the legislative process; strategies to pressure restaurant, retail, and foodservice brands to reduce their sourcing of meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood; and ways the animal rights movement can tap into other key issues to gain attention such as public health and climate change.

“Monitoring the strategies and tactics of the animal rights movement, including through our release of conference reports, allows Alliance members and the broader agriculture community – from farm to fork – to be aware of how these organizations are becoming increasingly aggressive in their efforts to take meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, and seafood off of consumers’ plates,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Alliance president and CEO. “I hope that everyone involved in raising, processing, and retailing animal protein will take the opportunity to review the main themes of these reports and implement measures to safeguard their livelihoods.”

Direct Action Everywhere’s (DXE) Animal Liberation Conference primarily focused on its “right to rescue” campaign, as DXE has been advocating for the legal right to conduct “open rescues,” which entail entering farms and plants without permission and taking livestock and poultry. DXE extremist Alicia Santurio, who faced trial this year in charges stemming from one such incident, says DXE’s version of “open rescue” is, “[W]e do go into these places of violence and if we see a sick or injured animal that really needs us, those are the ones we rescue, but I don’t think that’s the only reason you have to rescue an animal.” Speakers at the event made their viewpoints of animal agriculture clear as Erin Wing, Animal Outlook’s director of “investigations” claimed, “Animal agriculture is a complex machine refined over centuries and designed to torture and destroy all of the living beings within it.”

The decision for the Supreme Court to uphold California’s Proposition 12 was a key focus at several conferences, including the Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit and the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) TAFA Conference. Both conferences emphasized the recent “victory” and its implications for the animal rights movement. Kate Brindle, HSUS, said, “The court’s decision… not only upheld Proposition 12 and laws like it… it essentially gave a judicial green light so that we can keep working in the legislatures to free animals from suffering and extreme confinement.” The Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act was also denounced as “the biggest threat…ever seen to animal protection.” We expect to see more pressure on this proposed legislation in 2024 as several animal rights supporters, including speakers at the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Animal Law Conference have called it a “disaster for farmed animals.”

Several conferences also touched on their strategies to continue pressuring restaurant, retail, and foodservice brands to reduce their sourcing of meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood. Josh Bisig with ProVeg, an organization focused on “food system change,” said, “Our mission is to replace 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040.” It was also stated that creating change at the food brand level was an effective way to force change at the farm level. Danielle Melgar, U.S. PIRG, shared an example: “We saw an opportunity to instead turn to a corporate campaign approach, so that we could get major restaurant chains to make commitments to purchasing meat that was raised without the routine use of antibiotics. This would then change what their suppliers are doing.”

Animal rights groups have been using the coattails of issues of significant public interest such as climate change, public health, and social justice to reach wider audiences. David Meyer, Food Systems Innovations, put it this way: “What is it about this climate crisis that is actually a huge opportunity for the animals? Well, it’s a new reason to not eat animals, but this one can’t be ignored.” Brian Kateman, Reducetarian Foundation, said, “We are in a room where everybody agrees that we must end factory farming and we have to reduce the size of consumption of animal products. We don’t have to agree on everything in order to make progress on that one thing.”

All 2023 animal rights conference reports, which include accounts of speaker presentations and general observations, are available to Alliance members in the Resource Center on the Alliance website. The Alliance website also includes reports from previous years’ animal rights conferences. Media wishing to obtain copies of the full report, or for all other inquiries, please contact Emily Ellis, manager, communications and content, at eellis@animalagalliance.org.

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Animal Activists Are Waging War in Your Backyard

Activists Continue to ‘Storm the Courts’

In Their Own Words: Animal Activists Speak Out

Activist Threats Aren’t Just on the Farm Anymore

Animal Rights Activist Found Guilty of Felony and Two Misdemeanors

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 18:23:08 GMT

Animal rights activist Wayne Hsiung was found guilty of one felony and two misdemeanor charges after nearly a week of deliberations before a Sonoma County jury. The charges are in connection with poultry farm “open rescues” that took place at Sunrise Farms in 2018 and Reichardt Duck Farm in 2019, both outside Petaluma, Calif.

Hsiung, 42, was convicted of two misdemeanor trespassing counts, including one count of trespassing with the intent to disrupt a lawful business and a felony charge of conspiracy to commit trespass. According to The Press Democrat , the jury was deadlocked on a second felony conspiracy charge.

According to Northern California Public Media , Hsiung unsuccessfully represented himself at trial. He described his actions, and those of the hundreds of other activists that took part, as “akin to breaking a car window to rescue a child or pet trapped in a car on a hot day. He cited a section of California law, code 597e, as a legal justification to take birds he says were sick and dying for veterinary care,” the article said.

After the verdict, three sheriff’s deputies escorted a handcuffed Hsiung out of the courthouse in Santa Rosa, Calif. This is not the first time he has been charged.

Hsiung is the co-founder of Direct Action Everywhere (DXE). He was not granted bail and will remain in jail until his sentencing hearing that is scheduled at the end of November.

Read More:

Activists Continue to ‘Storm the Courts’

Animal Activist Wayne Hsiung Found Guilty of Felony Charges

In Their Own Words: Animal Activists Speak Out at 2023 Conferences

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 19:00:36 GMT

The Animal Agriculture Alliance works diligently to safeguard the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by monitoring the activity of animal rights extremists. Several of these extremist groups convened this past year for their annual conferences, discussing new tactics and strategies they plan to use against animal agriculture to rally around their missions of “total animal liberation.” While animal rights supporters make up an incredibly small percentage of our population, they are loud and aggressive and can mislead consumers about the animal agriculture community’s commitment to animal welfare, sustainability and other key topics.

So far this year, three conferences have been hosted – Direct Action Everywhere’s (DXE) Animal Liberation Conference (ALC), Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) Taking Action for Animals (TAFA) conference, and the Animal and Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit. Key topics at these events included sustainability, public health, legislation and animal welfare. It can be hard to hear comments coming from those opposed to animal agriculture, but it is important to monitor their activity and stay vigilant in whatever tactics may be coming next.

The 2023 DXE ALC was held in Berkeley, Calif., on June 9-14 and largely focused on DXE’s “Right to Rescue” campaign and recent thefts of animals from farms, however other sessions focused on strategy, specifically how to build a pressure campaign and how to align with fellow extremists. Here are a few quotes shared by speakers:

• “When we acknowledge that animals are individuals who deserve compassion, justice, and rescue, we inherently negate the idea that they are just objects to be bought and used, sold, and killed. These two perspectives, property and persons are intentioned with each other and with this campaign, we can bring this tension to the surface.”

• “Rescue is our moral duty to stand in solidarity with those who are oppressed.”

• “We are turning the criminal justice system on its head.”

• “Press can get charges dropped for activists and give you insider information.”

• “Taking your target, whether that is a company or an industry or a sector, figuring out what the Achilles heels are of those sectors of those industries, of those corporations, and putting pressure on those weight points to shift them to get them to do what you want or get them to just stop doing whatever they are doing.”

• “Goals might be something like stopping a slaughterhouse from being built, getting a company to drop fur, getting an animal relocated to a sanctuary from a zoo, and the corresponding visions to these goals are a world without slaughterhouses, a world where animals are not exploited for fur, and a world where zoos have been shut down.”

• “We most abolish animal ag to prevent the next pandemic.”

The Animal and Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit took place in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 27-30. This event was launched by ProVeg International and was billed as an opportunity to “explore and learn the latest knowledge, diversity of thought, and tools to effectively increase your individual and collective impact on systemic food system change.” The following key messages were shared by speakers:

• “One of the key strengths is mass protests because they can really create the conditions for transformation across the whole ecology, and really push the issue out into the public spotlight.”

• “There are also scientists that are using AI to decode animal language so that one day maybe they can advocate for themselves.”

• “We want to find any evidence that leads to more opposition to animal farming as a whole.”

• “This is a normalized atrocity in our in our food system. They [chickens] are kept in windowless houses, trapped in cages and crates raised their babies are taken away.”

• “When it comes to this cutthroat billion-dollar companies [Tyson, Smithfield, etc.], those are the entities that deserve no mercy. And if you want to ring the alarm on them, ring it.”

• “The court’s decision, it’s, you know, it not only upheld proposition 12 and laws like it like Josh pointed out, but it essentially gave a judicial green light so that we can keep working in the legislatures to free animals from suffering and extreme confinement.”

At the HSUS TAFA Conference, held August 5-6 in Springfield, Ill., animal rights extremists came together to discuss lobbying and current political efforts in the animal rights space, specifically concerning the fur community. The conference focused on advocacy and the importance of building relationships with lawmakers. Here are a few quotes shared by speakers:

• “You might be surprised, but the time is going to come when you’re going to need to get everybody together to get that point for the animals.”

• “State by state, scorecards have been rolling out on a state-by-state basis, which literally hold legislators accountable for the votes they take or don’t take for animal welfare.”

• “We really had to focus on public safety, threats of danger to people, and elderly when we’re talking about people who are abusing animals.”

• “Smaller cities and towns or local lawmakers are probably not going to have staff. We can get into bigger, midsize cities, larger cities as well as your state legislatures they will often have staff and it’s really important to not undervalue the staff. Staff are there to support the lawmaker, but their job is to also go deep and to really kind of understand these issues and to help the lawmaker understand the issues and why they are important and might be important to the community. So, meeting with a staff person is a really great opportunity to pull someone else onto the team. They can be an internal advocate.”

As members of the animal agriculture community, these quotes can be frustrating to hear. I want to remind everyone of their responsibility to speak up and be an informed voice for animal agriculture and sharing our story.

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Animal Ag Organizations Team Up to Combat Misinformation and Share Science

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:14:55 GMT

Everyone knows communication is key to animal agriculture’s future success. That’s why the Animal Agriculture Alliance and National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) are teaming up.

On July 26, the Animal Agriculture Alliance and NIAA announced a working partnership to maximize areas of expertise to ensure sound scientific information about animal agriculture is being communicated effectively to key audiences.

“The Alliance frequently fields questions from food brands, registered dietitians, media, and thought leaders on issues such as animal welfare, responsible antibiotic use, and environmental stewardship. This partnership with the NIAA will give us greater access to technical experts in these fields to ensure we’re communicating accurate, science-backed, and expert-supported information to these audiences,” Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Animal Agriculture Alliance president and CEO, said in a release. “The animal agriculture community has an incredible history of progress – thanks in large part to advancements in science – and we’re honored to continue spreading that message with the support of NIAA.”

According to the release, as part of the working relationship,

NIAA, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing programs to work towards providing solutions for disease, while promoting a safe and wholesome food supply, will serve as a resource on scientific research and technical expertise.
Animal Agriculture Alliance, a non-profit working to safeguard the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities, will work to communicate this information to key audiences.

“The NIAA has often served the animal agriculture community behind the scenes by convening experts and allies to explore, discuss, learn, and develop knowledge that fosters interdisciplinary cooperation and advances progress within the fields of animal welfare, animal health, and antibiotic use, among others,” J.J. Jones, NIAA executive director, said in a release. “Working alongside our communications partners at the Alliance, we’re positioned to better support the animal agriculture community in communicating science while combatting misinformation.”

From coordinating media responses on technical issues with third-party expertise and collaborating on the development and review of talking points, infographics and other resources on topics such as animal welfare, antibiotic use and sustainability to hosting regular joint issue updates with key stakeholders from each organization, the partnership will allow each organization to achieve greater reach.

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Animal Rights Extremist Connections and Tactics Updated in New Reports

Animal Rights Extremist Connections and Tactics Updated in New Reports

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:40:39 GMT

Do you know what the Top 5 targeted states are for animal rights activists? The answer may surprise you. California, New York, Illinois, Texas and Washington are the most targeted states. The U.S. is the second most targeted country behind the United Kingdom.

This kind of information and more are part of two new reports released from the Animal Agriculture Alliance detail the interconnectedness of the animal rights movement, as well as tactics targeting animal agriculture. The Animal Rights Extremist Web exemplifies how animal rights groups are strategically connected in many ways, including personnel and financial support. The Radical Vegan Activism in 2022 report highlights efforts to attack animal agriculture and the true intentions of these organizations with quotes from leadership.

“No matter the animal rights extremist group or the tactics used, they all share the same goal of eliminating animal agriculture and taking meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood off of our grocery store shelves and family tables,” says Abby Kornegay, manager, issues and engagement, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “These reports succinctly detail those true intentions, the strategic efforts of the animal rights movement to further their agenda, and key tactics for the animal agriculture community to be aware of.”

Nearly one-third of animal rights extremist attacks documented in 2022 targeted farmers and food workers, putting them and animals in danger. Documented direct actions to animal agriculture include:

• 95 vandalism incidents
• 70 stolen animals
• 60 criminal trespasses
• 10 arson cases
• 9 harassment and intimidation incidents

“Extremists are getting ever bolder in their efforts against animal agriculture, and direct actions at the farm, processing facility, and retail store continue to rise,” Kornegay says in a release. “Farmers, processors, and the entire food supply chain are encouraged to implement security measures that protect against potential threats.”

In addition to demanding change through direct actions, animal rights groups are also attempting to force change through fundraising efforts which help fund their various efforts and campaigns, Kornegay explains. The major animal rights extremist groups included on the Animal Rights Extremist Web are major fundraisers and bring in more than $800 million in income annually. Organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) saw a dramatic increase in revenue between their previous fiscal year and current. In PETA’s 2021 tax filing, total revenue equaled $68 million and according to its website, 2022 revenue equals $82 million, a nearly $14 million increase, the release says.

Several updates were made to the Animal Rights Extremist Web including several new groups for the farm and food community to be aware of, including The Accountability Board and the Organization for Competitive Markets. The Accountability Board, which fronts itself as a non-radical group and invests in over 100 of the largest publicly traded companies to force environmental and animal welfare change, is led by former Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) employees Josh Balk and Matthew Prescott, the release says. The Organization for Competitive Markets, which seeks to “enforce” rules within the agriculture community, was added to the web due to Marty Irby’s involvement as a board member. Irby is also a former employee of HSUS with close ties to its former president and CEO Wayne Pacelle. Sentient Media, Animal Partisan, and Farm Action were also added to the web.

For more information about the Alliance’s work to monitor animal rights extremism, or to view the reports, visit animalagalliance.org/initiatives/monitoring-activism .

Animal Activists Are Waging War in Your Backyard

Fri, 12 May 2023 21:53:59 GMT

I kept a bit of distance as I approached the site of my first animal activist rally. I watched two people huddled beside a small megaphone and a bag, checking their phones constantly. As the clock struck the advertised time for this group to make their announcements, I leaned in anticipating what would happen next.

Nothing.

About 15 minutes later, two more joined. They pulled out a banner and signs from the bag. Another 15 minutes passed and the group, now up to five, started walking. As I followed the group, I realized I was listening to students uneducated about modern livestock production and abiding by a playbook from a known animal activist organization.

The actual protest consisted of four people holding signs and one person reading a message from his phone.

“We are here to speak out for animals who cannot speak for themselves. We are here to tell you that there is something you can do. Rescue these animals and join the animal rights movement today,” the activist read.

His thoughts and ideas were scripted. I think that made me the most unsettled. Why are you fighting for a cause that you can’t speak on your own about?

I was not impassioned or moved by anything that was said. No one else was either. People just streamed by and only one couple stopped for about 8 seconds.

I share something in common with these students. We love animals. But I was disheartened to hear them support breaking the law to “rescue” animals right here in the Midwest where we are surrounded by animal agriculture and the benefits of an abundant food supply.

A Reality Check

I called my friend Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president of the Animal Agriculture Alliance , the next morning.

She said something that makes sense, but was still a punch in the gut. Organizations like this one are mobilizing activists all over the country – not just on the coasts.

“Groups like Direct Action Everywhere (DXE) have small pockets of supporters across the country that are willing to mobilize for the cause, and the ‘lead organizers’ have also shown they’re willing to travel anywhere to conduct ‘investigations’ and demonstrations,” she explained.

Other extreme groups, such as The Save Movement, have chapters in various cities, particularly where processing plants are located, she pointed out.

They find people willing to carry out their plan to get their message heard in unexpected places, even Farm Country USA. I want to believe that the reason people didn’t stop and engage, that no one listened or took them seriously, is because they know better. They know farmers care for their animals and do whatever it takes to make sure animals are raised in a healthy, safe and controlled environment.

But I’m not sure that’s why.

There are so many messages shared about animal ag, and consumers struggle to know which voices to trust. I am grateful for voices such as Tork and Sawyer of This’ll Do Farm , Heidi Flory of “The Princess and the Pig Farmer,” Cara Haden “Pig Vet” and Jesse Heimer of Heimer Hampshires for using their voice to share what it’s really like to raise livestock.

How Can You Help?

I walked away from the rally full of questions. How am I helping people who are outside of agriculture discern truth from fiction? How am I raising kids emboldened to speak up for agriculture? What am I doing to remind the younger generations their story is important and needs to be told?

The war for people’s hearts and minds is moving into your backyard. Are you ready?

Editor’s Note: Want to learn more? Check out the Animal Agriculture Alliance Summit conference that is taking place May 4-5. You can purchase the recording pass to access recordings from all the sessions after the event.

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Pork is Under Pressure

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 04:08:17 GMT

Any company involved in the production, processing and retailing of dairy, meat, poultry, eggs and seafood has at least one thing in common – the potential to be targeted by extreme animal rights organizations. These groups are opposed to humans using animals for any purpose, including for food. Among the many tactics used to advance their goal of eliminating animal agriculture and taking animal products off of our plates, one is of primary concern to any consumer-facing food brand – pressure campaigns and pushing for “incremental changes” under the guise of concern for animal welfare.

As much as I always advocate for agriculture and the consumption of animal products, I recognize buying decisions are deeply personal and never want to push anyone to make a choice they don’t feel comfortable making. Having consumer choice is a great privilege and something I feel proud to be a part of working in agriculture and food production. However, this small (but loud) group of animal rights extremists and vegan activists are working hard to eliminate choice. They are doing so by applying intense pressure to restaurant, retail and foodservice brands.

Primary tactics used in these pressure campaigns include the use of “scorecards” and pushing for incremental changes. “Scorecards” rank or grade various companies and food brands against each other based on public policies and commitments on various issues, including sow housing and cage-free eggs. Examples of “scorecards” within the pork community include the “Quit Stalling” report focused on eliminating the use of gestation stalls. Animal rights extremist groups are using these “scorecards” to push progress even further. The first step in their incremental approach was to change specific production practices. Now, these groups are demanding more “plant-based” menu options as part of their rankings.

Unfortunately, it won’t stop there. The demands and the tactics used will only get more extreme in their mission to eliminate consumer choice by having only vegan options available on the menu.

Here are some quotes from animal rights extremists in their own words:

• “We don’t want to set unrealistic goals. We don’t have to have a campaign to “end speciesism” because that is not achievable right now. We don’t want to start a campaign to get a steakhouse in Lincoln, Neb., to go vegan. First, we want to maybe have them introduce some vegan options and work towards it that way…make measurable progress and then escalate.”

• “We do know [corporations] are motivated by one thing, of course, and that is money. And generally, it means animal welfare isn’t their motivation in life. They do care about their brand perception and how that affects sales. And they certainly care about their investors, and business partners and what they think about them. And this is good news for us.”

• “An incremental approach is used to gradually switch companies over to veganism.”

• “You want to put direct pressure on the decision makers in the company; know how the business functions and what will frustrate the decision makers the most.”

• “You don’t want to give your target time to catch its breath.”

• “When companies refuse to do the right thing, we send out action alerts to our members and boom, the company’s phone lines, email, and social media light up like the Fourth of July.”

While we know that it is not most consumers leading these efforts, this small group is still loud and making it difficult for suppliers to navigate these difficult situations. It’s time for the animal agriculture community to come together to support these members of the food supply chain and reiterate the importance of consumer choice – choices that include plenty of pork on the menu!

The Animal Agriculture Alliance has an in-depth report on this topic. Readers interested in the report can contact the Alliance at info@animalagalliance.org.

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