The animal rights activist movement continues to grow in financial strength, in increased coordination around federal policy and in ongoing extremist activity targeting the food supply chain. The Animal Agriculture Alliance‘s recent updates to its two flagship reports highlight the funding, connections and key players within the animal rights activist movement in the U.S.
The American Meat Producers Association (AMPA) and the International Council for Animal Welfare (ICAW) are two of the new additions to the Major Animal Activist Groups Web, which includes the most active and/or extreme groups involved with or connected to animal rights and highlights the strategic, interconnected nature of the animal rights activist movement, says Abby Kornegay, director, issues and engagement at the Animal Agriculture Alliance.
“Both organizations are heavily connected to well-known animal activist groups through current and former staff,” Kornegay explains. “AMPA, recently founded in 2025 with a focus on policy, has been a main driver in opposition to language in the 2026 Farm Bill draft supporting modern pork production. Leadership at AMPA has close ties to Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States, while ICAW staff have previous connections to organizations including The Humane League and Mercy For Animals. ICAW is focused on “grassroots activism” and has been working to mobilize local animal rights groups to engage in protests targeting restaurants and retailers across the country and internationally on topics including fur, foie gras and cage-free eggs.”
Why Do These Connections Matter?
According to publicly filed financial records, the organizations on the web collectively bring in more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue, much of which is used for anti-animal agriculture campaigns. This is a significant increase from $865 million reported by the Alliance last year.
“These connections are important to understand,” says Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO of the Animal Agriculture Alliance. “While animal rights activist groups may differ in their public-facing messages, tactics and areas of focus, many are connected through staff, funding, coalitions and campaigns and ultimately share the collective goal of eliminating animal agriculture and consumer choice.”
Legislative Attacks on the Rise
The Alliance also developed a legislative-focused breakdown of the web in response to increasingly coordinated efforts to influence the 2026 Farm Bill, particularly language related to California’s Proposition 12 and similar state-level legislation. This report illustrates the connections among animal rights activist groups engaging in legislative issues, highlighting that several completely new groups or those that typically don’t engage in policy have entered this space since the drafting of the last farm bill, the Alliance notes.
The new report provides important context for legislators, policymakers and the greater animal agriculture community as they encounter organizations that oppose animal agriculture, seeking to influence policies impacting farmers, ranchers and the broader food system. More detailed versions of both webs are available exclusively to Alliance members, Kornegay adds.
Physical Security Risks Threaten Farmers
Animal rights extremist activity continues to pose physical security risks to those involved in raising animals and producing food, Kornegay says. The updated Radical Vegan Activism report details tactics used by animal rights extremists throughout 2025, including:
- 41 incidents of vandalism
- 36 cases of animal theft and/or release
- 23 trespasses
The latest data also shows that nearly one in four animal rights extremist attacks target farmers and food workers.
“This year’s findings show that the animal rights movement continues to be well-funded and highly connected, using a range of tactics that can threaten the safety and security of the entire food supply chain,” Kornegay says. “Understanding the organizations, individuals and funding behind groups that oppose the consumption of animal protein is critical to protecting animal agriculture. It is an integral part of the Alliance’s work to keep the animal agriculture community informed and prepared.”
Learn more about the Alliance’s work to monitor animal rights extremism.
