New Investigation: Slaughterhouse Horrors for Hens

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Behind nearly every  “incredible edible” egg sold in grocery stores today is a hen so intensively confined inside a barren wire battery cage, she can barely even move. With just 67 square inches of floor space on which to live – about the size of an iPad – she can’t even flap her wings, let alone nest, perch, dust bathe, …

Bills’ Buried Provisions Favor Big Ag Over Environment

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It’s been all-over the news: President Obama has officially signed the final government spending bill, averting yet another a near-complete government shutdown. Dubbed “cromnibus” it’s a continuous financial resolution that includes all kinds of random “kitchen sink” line items, and it reached an outrageous $1.1 trillion by the time Obama signed it last week. What’s not so much in the news are some of …

How Science is Saving Farmed Animals

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Scientists across the nation are teaming up to save animals and the environment while also feeding the world – and a roster of big-name international investors and venture capitalists are on board. Just last week, the Wall Street Journal announced that a new round of investments in Hampton Creek Foods totaled $90 million. In explaining why his firm as taken …

Silent Side Dishes: The Stealth of Ractopamine

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Did you know that with almost every serving of turkey and pig meat dished out this holiday season – and all year long – there’s a stealthy side of drugs that are banned in the European Union and even China, but not the US?  It’s called Ractopamine. And it’s even in your bacon, which reaches its record-setting consumption rate during …

Sick to Death: Phantom Antibiotics in Our Food

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Last week was antibiotic awareness week  – did you miss it? Somehow, this global week of awareness flew under the radar of many – especially in the United States. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) named their week-long campaign “Get Smart About Antibiotics Week” after an executive order from the White House, but telling the truth about antibiotic use in …

Governor Christie Has a PIG Problem

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More news from NJ: Sen. Cory Booker stands with the 93% of New Jerseyans who want gestation crates banned — and he’s standing up for all farmed animals by going vegan! Read more. It’s been all over the news, even making national headlines: Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has a pig problem. The media has been covering this issue for …

Live and Let Live: Examining Our Relationship with Animals

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Written and directed by sociologist and author Marc Pierschel, Live and Let Live is a beautiful examination of our relationships with animals — those we choose to love and those we choose to eat. Interweaving six stories of people’s paths to vegan eating, the poignant documentary delves into the ethical, environmental, and health reasons for leaving animals off of our plates. Well-paced and …

Where’s The Beef (From)? The Meat Industry Doesn’t Want You To Know

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Most people want to know where their food comes from – and believe that fundamentally, they have the right to know. However, the US meat industry disagrees and is fighting to keep consumers in the dark as long as possible. In 2002, Congress passed a Country of Origin Labels law, commonly referred to as “COOL.” This law requires that on …