March 23 update: JBS temporarily suspended operations in 33 of its 36 meat plants in Brazil because of a “lack of sales,” according to Reuters. A dozen countries suspended all meat imports from Brazil and eight other countries halted imports from the specific plants being investigated. Guest blog by COK volunteer Simone de Lima, of Brazil: Just days ago, following a …
Pilgrim’s Pride can’t be feeling very proud. In 2014, Compassion Over Killing (COK) released a gut-wrenching undercover video revealing shocking cruelty to chickens inside a North Carolina factory farm supplier of Pilgrim’s Pride. Featured in a CNN exclusive report, the footage sparked outrage over chickens buried alive in outdoor pits, and birds suffering from ammonia burns, leg deformities, and more. This year, …
Late last year, COK’s gut-wrenching undercover video inside a Hormel Foods pig slaughterhouse went viral. The footage not only exposed extreme cruelty, but it also called into question the efficacy of the USDA’s high-speed slaughter pilot program, known as HIMP. This shocking story continues to garner attention — including a temporary USDA shutdown of the facility and a powerful letter …
Plant-based eating is rapidly on the rise — even in the military — and the meat industry is running scared. The effort is being led by Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa, which happens to be one of the largest animal agribusiness states in the US that also passed an ag-gag law in 2012. Enrst, who describes Meatless Mondays as “misguided …
The threat of drug-resistant bacteria — also known as “superbugs” — is getting more serious by the day. Humans worldwide are at risk of falling prey to deadly microbes that are immune to antibiotics. So what’s fueling the rise in these terrifying infections? Reckless and rampant antibiotic use in animal agriculture. In a piece titled “The Superbug That Doctors Have Been Dreading Just Reached the U.S.,” The Washington Post …
The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans are officially out — and health experts aren’t happy. Despite overwhelming evidence that heavy meat consumption contributes to heart disease, premature death, and cancer, the guidelines are conspicuously quiet about cutting back consumption. Sadly, these rules impact school meal programs, public nutrition efforts, and even food labels — so they influence the health of millions of Americans. Many leading …
While meat has long been considered a staple of the American diet, consumer eating habits are clearly shifting towards healthier and more sustainable plant-based foods. This trend is changing the food landscape so extensively, so quickly that it even has the financial world planning for the possible “death of meat.” The Nasdaq Stock Market, which is the largest stock exchange in …
Meat industry balks at proposed dietary guidelines Last week, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee issued its proposed nutrition policy for 2015 that has the meat industry crying foul — and The Washington Post calls it the “meat industry’s worse nightmare.” The current proposal, which will soon re-open for public comments, recommends that Americans eat more fruits and vegetables while …
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 …