Animal Welfare / Public News Service

Since bird flu outbreaks began in 2022, more than 456,000 birds in Tennessee have been affected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Abdullah/Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 28, 2025

TN poultry expert says backyard chickens won't save money on eggs

Rising egg prices have some wondering if raising backyard chickens could save money, but experts warn that this may not be a money-saving option…

Despite some state space improvements, about 60% of U.S. egg-laying hens are still kept in cramped battery cages, each with less space than a sheet of paper. (Alex/AdobeStock)

Pennsylvania egg brand agrees to drop ‘free-roaming’ label

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Keystone State News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public Ne…

The United States is the third-largest pork producer in the world and already exports around one-third of the pork it produces domestically. (Chayakorn/Adobe Stock)

Chinese-owned farms press for repeal of CA animal welfare law

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

The Texas horned lizard currently is listed as a threatened species in Texas. It can be found from the south-central United States to northern Mexico, throughout much of Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. (David McGowen/Adobe Stock)

From horny toad to Guadalupe bass, Texans work to save wildlife

Wildlife conservationists are working with landowners and concerned Texans to recover at-risk species. Currently, more than 1,100 animals from …

The study analyzed 56 million cow-level production records across 18,000 dairy farms from 2012 to 2016. (Adobe Stock)

New study: Small farms disproportionately impacted by extreme heat

A new study shows how extreme weather conditions negatively affect production yields on Midwest dairy farms, with a disproportionate impact on …

In 2024, the National Chicken Council estimated per capita consumption of chicken in the U.S. was 104 pounds. (Adobe Stock)

Something to crow about: Technology reduces male chick culling in IN

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Indiana News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration Eg…

Bobcats are elusive, native predators known for their sharp senses and solitary nature, typically hunting at dawn or dusk. (Adobe Stock)

Hoosiers get final say on bobcat hunting plan

Indiana's Natural Resources Commission will decide this week whether to allow bobcat trapping, giving Hoosiers one last chance to weigh in. The …

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have recently come under scrutiny for not doing more to enforce factory farm manure discharge permits. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa slaughterhouse faces water pollution lawsuit

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration In …

Agriculture trade groups want to see a rollback of federal environmental regulations on the meatpacking industry, along with fewer worker protections and food safety measures. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska meatpackers call on feds to deregulate industry

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Nebraska News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

Federal agencies are ramping up efforts to contain avian flu, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture rolling out a $1 billion plan focused on biosecurity, financial relief for affected producers and research into possible vaccines for poultry. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio leads nation in bird flu cases, consumers face rising costs

A Food and Water Watch report claims Ohio egg producers are profiting from the bird flu outbreak. Ohio, a top egg producer, has lost nearly 15 …

Nationally, the average cost of a dozen large eggs was $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Nitr/Adobe Stock)

Report: Bird flu not cause of rising egg prices in TX

A new report by the group Food and Water Watch said egg companies are exploiting the bird flu outbreak for profit. On average, the price of a dozen …

The recent avian flu outbreak has resulted in the death of at least 30 million birds in Iowa, mostly culled because of exposure to the disease, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Egg producers 'exploit avian flu outbreak' for profit

A new report by the group Food and Water Watch says egg companies are exploiting the bird flu outbreak for profit in Iowa. Data show egg prices in …

The CDC recommends wearing personal protective equipment when handling sick or dead birds, cleaning and disinfecting contaminated areas, and avoiding stirring up dust or bird waste that may spread avian flu. (Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals)

Fact-check: Backyard chickens aren’t safe from bird flu

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collab…

The likelihood of exposure to H5N1 is higher among people consuming raw, unpasteurized milk from infected animals, although the chance of people contracting H5N1 from consuming raw milk is not clear at this time, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)

Experts worry as zoonotic disease research is reviewed by Trump admin

By Grey Moran for Sentient.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration…

More than 166 million birds across the country have been affected by avian influenza. (panyawat/Adobe Stock)

Industrial farming in NC, US becomes breeding ground for bird flu

Industrial farming practices could be boosting the spread of bird flu. Avian influenza has been detected in poultry across the country, including in …

Research shows that an animal is abused or neglected every 60 seconds in the United States. <br />(kichigin19/Adobe Stock)

MI lawmakers propose bipartisan bill to prevent animal abuse

A tragic case of neglect that claimed the life of a senior dog in 2021 is now driving change in Michigan, as lawmakers recently introduced "Buddy's …

There are more than 500,000 buffalo in North America today, but nearly all of those are livestock, in commercial herds and owned by private landowners. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado lawmakers consider protecting wild buffalo from poaching

Colorado lawmakers could add buffalo, also known as bison, to a long list of wildlife that have been restored to their natural habitat across the …

Danny Akenson of the group Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin said the corporate consolidation from concentrated animal feeding operations has caused the shuttering of many small farms across the state. Dairy farms in Wisconsin with fewer than 100 cattle have decreased by more than 50% since 2012. (Adobe Stock)

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has approved a permit to expand Ridge Breeze Dairy in Salem despite hundreds of local objections…

New Mexico plans to build wildlife crossing corridors across the state to keep vehicles and wildlife from intersecting each other's path. (Adobe Stock)

NM Legislature advances appropriations bill with funding for wildlife corridors

The New Mexico state House of Representatives has advanced an appropriations bill advancing funding for new wildlife migration-crossing corridors to k…

Concentrated animal feeding operations are major polluters of the air and water, yet less than a third in Illinois have National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, which are required when discharging livestock waste. (Adobe Stock)

IL CAFOs on rise as industry remains underregulated

Illinois is known for having some of the weakest environmental laws for concentrated animal feeding operations, with a lack of oversight and public …

Immigrant farmworkers make up an estimated 73% of agriculture workers in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Challenges facing farmers in Colorado, across U.S.

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

When biosolids containing PFAS are used as fertilizer, the chemicals leach into soil and groundwater, and are then taken up by plants, which are then consumed by humans, livestock and wildlife. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

North TX county declares disaster due to PFAS contamination

A north Texas commissioners' court has declared a county disaster because of PFAS contamination. Johnson County Commissioners are asking Gov…

Through a legislative proposal, South Dakota agriculture officials are trying to generate an extra $350,000 in permitting fees, so they can maintain oversight of concentrated animal feeding operations. (Adobe Stock)

South Dakota poised to boost fees that help regulate CAFOs

Rural communities in the U.S. remain at the center of debate about the growing presence of large livestock operations. South Dakota lawmakers are …

The Long Beach Animal Care Services said it fights a constant battle for space to shelter dogs and cats. This puppy is currently being fostered with its siblings but will eventually be available for adoption. (Brittany Murray/Medianews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images)<br />

A more humane future for CA shelter animals

By S.E. Smith for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Yes! Magazine-Public News Service …

Farmers markets encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables, which is much more climate-friendly compared with a meat-based diet. (Corey/Adobe Stock)

Farmers markets can be a form of climate action

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient/Just and Climate-Friendly …

Avian influenza is caused by the same type of virus that causes seasonal influenza in humans. <br />(Pexels)

MS farmers question federal poultry subsidies amid avian flu

By Grey Moran for Sentient.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Mississippi News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

Depictions on food marketing often do not reflect actual conditions for cows and other animals being raised in factory farms. (We Animals)

Despite advertising, North Carolina's factory farms are not pretty places

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

People living within many miles of industrial swine operations feel the effects of ammonia pollution. (lightpoet/Adobe Stock)

Study shows air quality disparities from industrial ag in NC

The negative effects on air quality from industrialized animal facilities in North Carolina stick around for a long time, according to a new study…

While New York state's menhaden catch laws went into effect in 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission set a coast-wide catch limit on menhaden in 2012. (Adobe Stock)

NYS regulations help keep menhaden populations high

New York marine ecosystems face ripple effects of menhaden declines in Chesapeake Bay. Menhaden are nutrient-rich fish and a key part of Atlantic …

Proponents of factory farms argued moving millions of livestock off pastures and into high-density operations, where in many cases animals cannot even move around, conserves valuable farmland. (Adobe Stock).

Factory farm advocates’ blind spot on food system reforms

Recent editorials in The New York Times and Washington Post defending factory farms make one critical mistake, according to environmental advocates: …

The 2023 Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act, sponsored by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, and Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, was a revised version of the 2021 bill, which also failed to advance. (Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay)

A renewed push for EATS Act amid FL agricultural battles

A bill known as the Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act failed to advance in Congress last year but food policy advocates warned it is still a…

Activist Zoe Rosenberg removed four chickens from Perdue's Petaluma Poultry farm and brought them to a veterinarian for medical treatment. (Direct Action Everywhere)

Trial ahead for CA animal activist accused of trespassing, theft, conspiracy

An animal activist is speaking out ahead of her trial in May - accused of trespassing, theft and conspiracy after a protest at a poultry …

Consumers overwhelmingly believe the claim

Advocates want more oversight for 'humane' meat label

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Nevada News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

Women now make up nearly two-thirds of the New Mexico House of Representatives, and just over one-third of the state Senate. (AdobeStock/ZackFrank)

NM's largest-ever female legislature seeks traction on bills, advocacy

A long-time New Mexico community organizer is one of several women who have put the state on the map this year for having the largest percentage of wo…

California's Proposition 12 mandated minimum space requirements for egg-laying hens but does not apply to chickens raised for meat. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Animal welfare advocates work to save CA's Prop 12 under Trump

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

According to a survey by the Veganuary organization, 81% of participants who took the survey maintained a dramatic reduction in their animal product consumption after six months. (Iuliia Metkalova/Adobe Stock)

'Veganuary' challenge continues to see growth in 2025

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Coll…

An undercover investigator looking into abuse at animal auctions says mistreatment becomes normalized, as workers are pressured by management to move animals in and out, quickly. (Photo courtesy of Ron Chiang/We Animals)

Livestock undercover: How good people do bad things to animals

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Nebraska News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

Supporters of Measure J said opposition mailers such as this one were used to spread false claims ahead of the election. (Direct Action Everywhere)

Opponents of factory farms regroup after mixed election results

Animal rights organizers are regrouping after mixed results at the ballot box in November. A measure targeting factory farms passed in Berkeley but …

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Elon Musk, Joe Rogan spread misinformation on agriculture

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Wyoming News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabo…

Antimicrobial consumption in farm animals is on the rise in the U.S., while declining in Europe by 44% from 2014 to 2021. (pressmaster/Adobe Stock)

Antibiotic use in livestock, once in decline, is creeping back up

By Sophie Kevany for Sentient.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborati…

From Sept. 1, 2023, to Sept. 23, 2024, influencers with more than 16 million combined total followers and subscribers made 183 total posts sharing climate and meat misinformation, nabbing 23.555 million views and 1,048,902 shares and likes, according to Climate Action Against Disinformation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Right-wing influencers push meat, misinformation

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

About 30% of agricultural methane emissions stem from manure storage. The other 70% comes from the digestive systems of livestock. (Adobe Stock)

CT, US take steps to mitigate methane emissions

By Seth Millstein for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Connecticut News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News …

Poultry consumption has skyrocketed over the last 60 years. Between 1961 and 2022, the average person went from eating 6.3 pounds of chicken every year to more than 37 pounds, an increase of almost 600%. (Adobe Stock)

Lack of animal welfare laws lead to misery on 'factory farms'

Advocates said a lack of animal welfare laws is leading to pain and suffering on American factory farms. Close to 99% of livestock is now raised in …

Every 24 hours, between 3 and 6 billion animals are killed for food. That comes to a lower-end estimate of 1.2 trillion animals killed every year, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Few animal welfare laws lead to misery in factory farms

Advocates said a lack of animal welfare laws is leading to pain and suffering on American factory farms. Close to 99% of livestock is now raised in …

Milk is the only food that makes up an entire food group. (magdal3na/Adobe Stock)

Activist: Dairy may not be best way to get your calcium

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration Wh…

Every year, humans around the world eat 360 million metric tons of meat, according to OurWorldinData.org. (Adobe Stock)

How many animals are killed for food every day?

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Colla…

Since the 1940s, about 50% of zoonotic diseases have been traced to agriculture, according to research in the journal BioScience. (Adobe Stock)

Research: Probiotics on farms could fight antibiotic resistance

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Arizona News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborati…

A growing number of Iowa farmers are shunning the use of gestation crates where sows are held until they give birth. (Adobe Stock)

More Iowa farmers support gestation crate ban

By Nina Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration When B…

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Animal Welfare

TN poultry expert says backyard chickens won't save money on eggs

Pennsylvania egg brand agrees to drop ‘free-roaming’ label

Chinese-owned farms press for repeal of CA animal welfare law

From horny toad to Guadalupe bass, Texans work to save wildlife

New study: Small farms disproportionately impacted by extreme heat

Something to crow about: Technology reduces male chick culling in IN

Hoosiers get final say on bobcat hunting plan

Iowa slaughterhouse faces water pollution lawsuit

Nebraska meatpackers call on feds to deregulate industry

Ohio leads nation in bird flu cases, consumers face rising costs

Report: Bird flu not cause of rising egg prices in TX

Report: Egg producers 'exploit avian flu outbreak' for profit

Fact-check: Backyard chickens aren’t safe from bird flu

Experts worry as zoonotic disease research is reviewed by Trump admin

Industrial farming in NC, US becomes breeding ground for bird flu

MI lawmakers propose bipartisan bill to prevent animal abuse

Colorado lawmakers consider protecting wild buffalo from poaching

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

NM Legislature advances appropriations bill with funding for wildlife corridors

IL CAFOs on rise as industry remains underregulated

Challenges facing farmers in Colorado, across U.S.

North TX county declares disaster due to PFAS contamination

South Dakota poised to boost fees that help regulate CAFOs

A more humane future for CA shelter animals

Farmers markets can be a form of climate action

MS farmers question federal poultry subsidies amid avian flu

Despite advertising, North Carolina's factory farms are not pretty places

Study shows air quality disparities from industrial ag in NC

NYS regulations help keep menhaden populations high

Factory farm advocates’ blind spot on food system reforms

A renewed push for EATS Act amid FL agricultural battles

Trial ahead for CA animal activist accused of trespassing, theft, conspiracy

Advocates want more oversight for 'humane' meat label

NM's largest-ever female legislature seeks traction on bills, advocacy

Animal welfare advocates work to save CA's Prop 12 under Trump

'Veganuary' challenge continues to see growth in 2025

Livestock undercover: How good people do bad things to animals

Opponents of factory farms regroup after mixed election results

Elon Musk, Joe Rogan spread misinformation on agriculture

Antibiotic use in livestock, once in decline, is creeping back up

Report: Right-wing influencers push meat, misinformation

CT, US take steps to mitigate methane emissions

Lack of animal welfare laws lead to misery on 'factory farms'

Few animal welfare laws lead to misery in factory farms

Activist: Dairy may not be best way to get your calcium

How many animals are killed for food every day?

Research: Probiotics on farms could fight antibiotic resistance

More Iowa farmers support gestation crate ban