Animal Welfare
Surveillance, reporting and veterinary partnerships are framed as critical ways to prevent a single case from becoming a national crisis.
Don’t be misled by the label. Discover how animal rights activists are posing as family farmers to influence major agricultural legislation and undermine the industry from within.
As funding for activism grows, it’s more important than ever for those of us in the farm and food community to share our own stories. If we don’t speak up about what really happens on farms, we risk letting activists tell that story for us.
Megin Nichols, the CDC’s director in the division of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases, explains the ties between human, animal and environmental health.
Newly released reports highlight increased funding and key trends in animal activist community. Here’s what farm workers, ranchers and producers need to know.
HHS allows FDA emergency use of animal drugs to combat New World screwworm.
“It begs the question — if producers are paying more, and consumers are paying more, who is winning?” said Glenn “GT” Thompson, committee chairman.
Fairs provide an invaluable time to engage with the public about agriculture. But watch out for detractors attempting to sway public opinion and protest these events.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says California’s actions under Proposition 12 fly in the face of Federal jurisdiction and regulation over food production and safety under the Egg Products Inspection Act.
The image, the smell, the emotions: five cattle producers and veterinarians from around the world share their first-hand experience with New World screwworm.
If doing good by our animals is the goal, shouldn’t we strive to do more of it? These may sound like philosophical musings, but they reflect the mindset of much of today’s voting public.
Identifying the flesh-eating parasite, which actually isn’t a worm, is key to keeping it out of the U.S. Recognizing a problem in an animal might come down to seeing a larval infestation in unusual circumstances.
Federal agents immediately descended upon the traveler, handcuffed him, and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents for prosecution.
As the fight to keep the flesh-eating parasite out of the U.S. intensifies, the economic impact on ranchers and the industry is top of mind. “This pest will be one that leaves quite a mark on our economy,” says one veterinarian.
National Pork Board shares about new consumer marketing campaign, animal welfare research and protecting freedom to operate so producers can concentrate on raising quality pork.
The ongoing threat of animal rights extremism is a national security concern, says Karen Meidenbauer, DVM. Here’s a look at the big topics discussed during the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2025 Stakeholders Summit.
Consumers are staying true to their core values and buying products they feel good about. However, animal ag needs to stay alert as there has been an uptick in direct actions from animal rights groups.
When a virus moves into a new geographical range or is reintroduced into a country that has maintained a negative status for a long period, SHIC’s Megan Niederwerder says it’s critical to reassess the risk to the U.S.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says the agency is hyper-focused on poultry, but no vaccine is yet available. The agency has ‘separate work streams’ to address the virus in the ‘cattle and dairy’ industries, but dairy is not part of USDA’s primary focus for now.
ENSO-neutral means conditions could be close to average, but Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien’s principal atmospheric scientist, says that doesn’t mean the weather will be normal this spring and summer with growing concerns about drought.
The increased use of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to treat pyrexia and pain in dairy cattle infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 prompted FDA to issue a warning to producers and veterinarians in October.
The report echoes calls by other scientists to ramp up the surveillance of felines, which are susceptible to the virus and have a high mortality rate. The AVMA says several cases in cats linked to poultry or wild bird exposure had been reported before the outbreak began in dairy cows last spring.
Scientists are ringing bells of warning about this virus, telling us to take action now. I hope we’re listening.
USDA announced on Oct. 30 the first reported case of H5N1 in a pig in an Oregon backyard farm.
Activist groups continue to seek out large gatherings as opportunities to garner attention for their messages against animal agriculture, and fairs and expos are no exception.
Many of the issues we’ve faced over the past decade remain the same – but I will say we must also continue to be open to new ideas and new approaches to addressing them.