Lunch + Legislation: Sarah D’Onofrio, PhD, Scholar Activist

Dr. D’Onofrio applies principles from sociology, political science, economics, and science to her on-the-ground work as an advocate for rural communities. Her research focuses on the harm caused by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (“CAFOs” or factory farms) to rural communities. … Continued

Lunch + Legislation: Kara Shannon, Director of Farm Animal Welfare Policy, ASPCA, “Farm Bill Update”

A massive piece of legislation that dictates what our public dollars are going to support in agriculture. It’s… our opportunity — instead of propping up factory farming (which…has been done for decades) to…seeing those billions of dollars… supporting meaningfully higher … Continued

Focusing on the Farm Bill

Image: Scott Bayer, USDA “The farm bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues.”[i] This massive piece of … Continued

Defeat EATS Coalition Fights On: 5/28/24 Update

Margo Miller, board secretary, is AFA’s representative to the nation-wide coalition. Here’s her report. On May 21, 2024, House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson introduced H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was slated … Continued

Lunch + Legislation: Cheryl Ruble, MD: Becoming an Advocate and Challenging CAFOs

I focus on challenging industrial agriculture, particularly CAFOs. I pretty much work full-time doing this. Cheryl Ruble, MD, Lunch + Legislation, April 1, 2024 Ten years ago, Cheryl had a different full-time job. She was working as a physician, practicing … Continued

EATS Act Directly Threatens Farmed Animal Welfare

Last month’s celebration of a victory with the US Supreme Court decision upholding California’s right to regulate the treatment of animals out-of-state who are to be sold in California is replaced by a threat to Prop 12 in California and … Continued

Help Put Farm System Reform into the Farm Bill

It’s been said that the Farm Bill should be called “The Food Bill” because not everyone farms, but everyone eats. It’s misleading to call it the “Farm” Bill because most people do not think of CAFOs (factory farms) when they … Continued

Lunch + Legislation with Adam Mason, ASPCA Senior Manager of Farm Animal Welfare and Environmental Policy

It’s our job [in the animal welfare movement] to make sure this bill is good for animals. Adam Mason The ASPCA’s Policy Platform, released in January 2023, is a good source of information to familiarize yourself with the 2023 Farm … Continued

The Farm Bill and Animals: Challenge and Opportunity

Every five years or so, Congress debates and passes a Farm Bill that will steer the course of farm, food, rural, nutrition, and agricultural policies in this country for half a decade. If you live in the United States, the … Continued