Farm Animals
USDA finalizes organic farming rule, clarifying gestation crate ban for animal welfare and public health
In a historic move, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program has issued the final Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards rule, a landmark federal regulation that strengthens and clarifies animal welfare standards. While the rule only covers animals raised in the National Organic Program, . . .
Pigs are intelligent, emotional animals, and here’s what we’re doing to protect them
For decades, the Humane Society of the United States has advocated on behalf of animals raised and killed for meat. One of our earliest campaigns, back in the 1950s, was to ban the worst forms of slaughter, which culminated in passage of the Humane Methods . . .
EATS Act could devour animal welfare laws and must be stopped
Americans are taking a stand against one of the gravest assaults on animal welfare, unfolding right now in the U.S. Congress, where a radical faction of the pork industry is pushing to include the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act (H.R. 4417/S. 2019) in the . . .
Why ballot measures matter for animal welfare
Last week, Ohioans showed up at the polls to defend a core tenet of democracy that is vitally important to the animal protection movement: the ballot measure. On Issue 1—the proposal to raise the threshold for amending the Constitution of the State of Ohio from . . .
Breaking: New Jersey prohibits cruel confinement of mother pigs and baby cows
After a hard-fought campaign lasting over a decade, New Jersey has passed a law prohibiting the cruel confinement of mother pigs in gestation crates and baby calves in veal crates. Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill—which the state’s legislature passed earlier this month—on Wednesday, July . . .
As food service corporations commit to plant-based menus, animals win
At every level—at dinner tables, in corporate boardrooms, in the halls of government, in university cafeterias and other institutions—decisions made within and about food have major implications for animal welfare, human health and the environment. And when it comes to animals, it’s about the choices . . .
Experts gather on Capitol Hill to condemn dangerous EATS Act
The U.S. Congress has been the scene of many a power grab over the years, but few have been as brazen as the current bid to tack onto the upcoming farm bill a vague and overreaching measure known as the EATS Act (S. 2019 in . . .
Breaking: Major threat to animal welfare emerges in US Congress
This year has already been historic for animals, as the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of upholding the strongest farm animal protection law in the country, California’s Proposition 12. This landmark law, approved by voters via ballot measure in 2018, prohibits . . .
More animals than ever before—92.2 billion—are used and killed each year for food
The most recent data about land animals bred, kept and slaughtered for consumption has revealed a figure higher than ever before: An estimated 92.2 billion land animals are slaughtered annually in the global food system, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Not only is . . .
Cooking with love: Finding unexpected connection over plant-based food
In 2013, our Farm Animal Protection team upped its investment in reducing meat consumption in the U.S. and around the world by expanding our work with the biggest food service companies to bring plant-based dishes to their menus. This has led to hundreds of schools . . .
Breaking: Supreme Court upholds strongest farm animal protection law in U.S.
We are thrilled that after months of tireless efforts and unwavering dedication, we have emerged victorious in our landmark Supreme Court defense of California’s Proposition 12. The decision, announced earlier today, upholds the nation’s strongest farm animal protection law and unanimously rejects the pork industry’s . . .
Help stop dangerous bills that would reduce the penalties for animal fighting
So much of our work centers on making positive progress for animals, helping to pass state or federal laws to ensure their protection, working on corporate social responsibility campaigns to get companies to change their practices or appealing directly to the public to raise awareness. . . .
