Today’s heavily consolidated food systems place most power in the hands of multi-billion dollar corporations while working for nearly no one else. Over 99 percent of animals farmed in the U.S. are confined to factory farms that cause immense animal suffering, exploit workers, harm local communities, and drive widespread environmental devastation.

At Farm Sanctuary, we know that there’s a better way to nourish each other. That’s why we are working across movements to build the good: equitable and sustainable food systems that benefit all of us: animals, people, and our planet.

As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together in 2023!

We are working across movements on federal and state policy that nurtures more just, sustainable, and compassionate food systems.

• We organized three Capitol Hill events and 12 satellite events since late 2022 to help shift Farm Bill investments and other federal food funding away from factory farming.
• We developed three federal bills to shift $130 billion in funding over the next 10 years to support plant-based food production.
• We devised five state-level bills promoting sustainable farmer opportunities, nutritional security for children and families, and transitions away from factory farming.
• We built on the support of more than 90 food system-related organizations with co-authored comments urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to shift federal food system resources.
• We continued to connect with 2,500+ organizations, including farmer, worker, health, community, environment, and justice groups, to collectively advocate for a more equitable, plant-based food system.

• We launched three community-driven pilot projects since December 2022, collaborating on “community food infrastructure” with the Sicangu tribe in South Dakota, seed funding the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute in North Carolina, and promoting land access through small-scale feed-to-food transitions with Grounded Roots in North Carolina. These innovative pilots have shifted $100,000 to support and scale equitable and sustainable food system transitions for systemic change.
• Our pilot programs have nourished thousands of people, connected hundreds of farmers to financial and education resources, and re-directed resources away from industrial animal agriculture.
• Furthermore, we raised or received funding pledges totaling $475,000 to launch a Real Estate Investment Trust and Land Trust that will enable farmers nationwide to transform their production practices for the better. 

In the past year, Farm Sanctuary has engaged in six lawsuits to protect farmed animals, shift public opinion, and make factory farming more costly.

• In February, Farm Sanctuary and our Humane Society of the United States-led coalition partners earned a massive victory for animals as North Carolina’s “Ag-Gag” law, designed to prevent investigators from exposing animal abuse on factory farms, was ruled unconstitutional.
• May brought another victory – this time, in the nation’s highest court – as the Supreme Court upheld California’s Proposition 12, milestone legislation prohibiting extreme confinement of farmed animals including calves raised for veal, pigs used for breeding, and egg-laying hens.

Farm Sanctuary’s wide-ranging Advocacy work continues to impact policy and change systems, thanks to the efforts of our dedicated team, volunteers, and supporters. 

Together, we are building the good, and we look forward to all we will be able to accomplish with your support in 2024 and beyond.