Here at Farm Sanctuary, we are working across movements to fight the worst harms of animal agriculture and to “build the good” – just and sustainable food systems that support animals, people, and the planet.

What an incredible two months at Farm Sanctuary! We’re thrilled to share the progress that we have made for farmed animals, people, and the planet. From Capitol Hill and state legislatures, to universities and courthouses, Farm Sanctuary is supporting the farmer, worker, environment, health, justice, and animal-centered advocates fighting for food systems that work for everyone. Take a look, and get involved! Sign up to volunteer with Farm Sanctuary’s advocacy.

“Humans aren’t the only human beings on Earth – we only act like it.” Farm Sanctuary Co-Founder and President Gene Baur invoked this famous bumper sticker to begin his call to “Shift the Farm Bill” at the March 29th event on Capitol Hill. The event re-introduced the 2023 Food & Farm Act, championed by Congressional Animal Protection Caucus Co-Chair Earl Blumenauer.

The Ethos Farm Project, Chilis on Wheels, and the Center for Biological Diversity joined Farm Sanctuary and Rep. Blumenauer, together sharing how plants and plant-based foods can support healthy and sustainable families, farmers, and communities. More than 75 organizations from across movements joined the call for reform, submitting additional written remarks on the Farm Bill and the Food and Farm Act.

Read More about our campaign to Shift the Farm Bill

Watch the full kickoff event video here!

No single bill can transform factory farms or our failing food systems. Senior Manager of U.S. Government Affairs Alexandra Bookis joined Farm Bill expert, educator, and dietician Christina Badaracco at Harvard Law School to speak with students about the Farm Bill and share how Farm Sanctuary’s cross-movement, resource-based approach to reform could benefit farmed animals, people, and the planet. As Alexandra noted:

“It’s difficult to underestimate the U.S. Farm Bill’s size, importance, and complexity. The 2023 Farm Bill will spend $700 billion over the next five years, shaping families’ access to nutritious foods, farmers’ ability to sustain their production and steward the land, the working conditions of food chain labor, and the living conditions of farmed animals.”

Bookis showed how each form of federal food system spending, from conservation and credit to commodities and nutrition, could be better used to support equitable, sustainable outcomes for people and reduce the number of farmed animals in supply chains. As the number of farmed animals in the U.S. continues to grow, these types of reforms are critical first steps to more plant-based food systems. We are grateful to the Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law and Policy Program’s commitment to evidence-based change and for hosting the event and to Badaracco for providing an expert overview and analysis of this significant legislation.

Our team also worked with student organizers to shift the Farm Bill. As Outreach and State Policy Specialist Miranda Eisen described in reflections after an event at her alma mater, Lewis and Clark Law School:

“The bill’s resonance comes from its clear choice. Do we continue to invest in factory farming—an industry that harms workers, fails to nourish families or sustain farmers, and creates unimaginable pain for ten billion terrestrial animals every year? Or do we shift the Farm Bill to support shared priorities, working across movements, section by section, to support spending that benefits all of us? We’re calling for reform, and we invite you to join us.”

In addition to events to Shift the Farm Bill, Farm Sanctuary collaborates with law and policy schools to build better options for state and federal lawmakers. From January – April, Farm Sanctuary served as a Spring Consulting Client for Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy Master’s students. The students learned about Farm Sanctuary’s pilot projects to support just, sustainable, plant-based transformations and explored opportunities to scale our impact.

Senior Director of Advocacy Aaron Rimmler-Cohen joined Paul Chiyokten Wagner, Protectors of the Salish Sea, Kawenniiosta Jock (Wolf Clan) (Orenhre’kowa Ki’taratakie), of the Waterfall Unity Alliance, Elaine (Lan Yin) Hsiao of Kent State University in a panel discussion on “re-centering conservation.”

The panel discussed how first peoples’ knowledge has been excluded, and how oppression hurts all of us: human and non-human begins alike. Aaron Rimmler-Cohen also discussed Farm Sanctuary’s pilot project with the Sicangu people to learn from and support a transition from “feed-to-food sovereignty.” Conversations like these help to inform and grow our advocacy as we work to support just, plant-based food system transformations.

Senior Director of Advocacy Aaron Rimmler-Cohen joined Jasmin Singer of Our Hen House to discuss Farm Sanctuary’s approach to food system transformation. As Our Hen House described, “In our conversation, Aaron discusses the disastrous policy of government subsidies of animal products and explains why the nonprofit is shifting resources to community-based organizations building sustainable, plant-based food systems. He also highlights three key ways it encourages the federal government to support such a community-focused shift.

Listen to the podcast or read the transcript!