Program Term Archive
Farmed Animals
More Than 681,000 Farm Animals Died in Barn Fires in 2021
Press ReleaseJanuary 5, 2022Farmed AnimalsMore than 681,000 farm animals perished in potentially preventable barn fires in 2021, according to an Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) analysis of media reports released today. This follows the worst year on...
USDA to Proactively Post Slaughter Records to Settle Lawsuit by AWI, Farm Sanctuary
Press ReleaseJanuary 4, 2022Farmed AnimalsIn a huge win for transparency and accountability, the US Department of Agriculture has agreed to publicly disclose on its website records related to the treatment of animals in US slaughter plants...
AWI Calls on USDA to Crack Down on Deceptive Labels
Farmed AnimalsAWI recently met with US Department of Agriculture officials regarding the negative effects misleading labels have on competitive markets for meat and poultry products. We believe that the deceptive use...
California Enhances System to Rescue Animals in Emergencies
Farmed AnimalsFollowing a series of devastating wildfires, the state of California is investing $3 million to better protect animals when disasters strike. The funding, which is provided through the state’s 2021...
Horizon Organic Severs Ties with Northeast Family Farms
Farmed AnimalsThe viability of 89 family-owned organic dairy farms in the Northeast is now in jeopardy following an announcement by Horizon Organic, the world’s largest organic dairy brand, that it will...
Mortality Aboard Cattle Shipment Raises Serious Questions
Farmed AnimalsIn late August, AWI sent a letter to USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack about an incident in which 207 cattle (over 9%) onboard a shipment from Delaware to Qatar died from...
USDA, Local Officials Do Nothing as Birds Left to Die at Loading Dock
Farmed AnimalsWhat will it take for the US Department of Agriculture and local law enforcement to take bird abandonment seriously? Apparently, five incidents resulting in the death of over 20,000 birds...
Seeking Greater Oversight of Mink Fur Farms
Farmed Animals, Terrestrial WildlifeAs part of its coronavirus relief package, Congress gave the US Department of Agriculture $300 million to monitor susceptible wild and domestic animals for the presence of COVID-19. Over the...
AVMA Urged to Revise Guidelines for Mass Killing of Animals
Farmed AnimalsAWI is urging the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to revise its guidelines to no longer permit killing animals by inducing heat stroke, a method known as ventilation shutdown plus...
Thanksgiving Survey: Majority of Poultry Purchasers Find Turkey Factory Farming Practices Unacceptable
Press ReleaseNovember 5, 2021Farmed AnimalsAs families start shopping for their Thanksgiving menus, a new survey commissioned by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) finds that a majority of poultry purchasers think conventional turkey production practices are unacceptable....