A coalition of organic farmers is suing the federal government, alleging that the milk-pricing system in place since the 1930s unfairly advantages industrial dairy producers.

This spring — in a country of 6 million people that produces about 28 million pigs per year — animal welfare was a defining issue in what became known as the “pig election.” Could U.S. animal welfare advocates learn from this success? For @sentientmedia.org: sentientmedia.org/pig-election...

Climatemaxxing livestock can worsen animal welfare. And yet many efforts to make livestock healthier are actually win-win-wins, raising productivity, improving animal welfare, and reducing environmental impacts, as I note in this @epayne.bsky.social article.

“Whenever we optimize for one value, we risk undermining another. The history of farmed animal breeding makes this clear,” says Jeff Sebo, professor and co-director of the Wild Animal Welfare Program at New York University. sentientmedia.org/breeding-cli...

Three new lawsuits allege that the USDA forces organic dairies to subsidize a system that primarily benefits conventional dairy. @epayne.bsky.social reports:

“Regardless of socioeconomic status, political affiliation or racial geographic areas, water is the most precious resource that we have...You don’t have water, you die. It’s that simple.” My latest for @insideclimatenews.org on how drought is impacting rural drinking water: bit.ly/4nl0RKT

People living near industrial farms may face increased cancer risk, a new study finds. @epayne.bsky.social reports:

Iowa’s hogs alone produce an estimated 110 billion pounds of manure each year, generating harmful air pollutants and contaminating local waterways. I report on the latest study linking CAFOs to higher cancer rates for Sentient: sentientmedia.org/cancer-rates...

In Morris, Minnesota, Riverview hopes to build the biggest dairy and feedlot in state history. Residents and environmental groups say it could strain regional water resources and worsen pollution. @epayne.bsky.social reports:

Minnesota officials seek public input as critics say the state's current rule to prevent agricultural nitrate pollution has failed to curb water contamination. @epayne.bsky.social reports:

A new poll found that 82% of Iowa voters are more likely to support an elected official who makes protecting clean water a top priority — including by cutting industrial agriculture pollution. @epayne.bsky.social reports: