Program Term Archive
Farmed Animals
Barn Fires Continue to Kill Massive Numbers of Farm Animals
Farmed AnimalsThis past year, over 1.6 million farm animals were reported killed in barn fires across the United States, making 2020 the deadliest year since AWI began tracking these incidents through...
USDA Secretary Faces Lingering Farm Animal Welfare Issues
Farmed AnimalsThomas Vilsack has returned as secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, a post he held previously during the Obama administration. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, spent the past four...
Utah Adopts Farm Animal Best Management Practices
Farmed AnimalsRecently, the Agricultural Advisory Board of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food adopted best management practices for the state’s animal agriculture industries. The new animal care standards, which will...
A Call to Phase Out Mink Farms
Farmed Animals, Terrestrial WildlifeEver wonder where the fur in that celebrity’s designer parka came from? Chances are, it came from a terrified mink in a tiny cage. About 85 percent of the fur...
FTC Challenge: Boar’s Head “Humanely Raised” Labels Deceive Consumers
Press ReleaseFebruary 23, 2021Farmed AnimalsThe Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) challenged Boar’s Head today before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for using deceptive advertising practices in promoting its “humanely raised” chicken sausage and Simplicity All Natural turkey...
1.6+ Million Farm Animals Died in Barn Fires in 2020
Press ReleaseDecember 15, 2020Farmed AnimalsMore than 1.6 million farm animals, including nearly 1.3 million cage-free hens, have perished in potentially preventable barn fires so far this year, according to an Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) analysis...
Grim Fate for Factory-Farmed Turkeys
Farmed AnimalsSince the early 1800s, at least, turkey has been a traditional part of holiday dinners in America. Approximately 50 million turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving each year, with another 22...
Meatpackers Fined for Failing to Protect Workers
Farmed AnimalsAs of November, over 50,000 workers at meat and poultry slaughter facilities had been infected with COVID-19. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has determined that the spread of COVID-19...
AWI Sues to Prevent Inhumane Handling of Birds at Slaughter
Farmed AnimalsThe suffering of birds at federally inspected slaughter establishments is staggering. During the winter months, trucks arrive at the plants with birds who are dead and frozen to their transport...
AWI Updates Food Label Guide
Farmed AnimalsAWI has updated A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels and Animal Welfare to help shoppers make food choices with animal welfare in mind. The changes include our assessment of two new labels,...