ABSTRACT
In the US, legislative progress on farmed animal welfare has been slow at the federal level, though some progress has been made at the state level through ballot initiatives. In the mid-2000s, a new strategy emerged to engage the food companies directly responsible for the purchase of farmed animal products. Viewing animal welfare through the “risk vs. advantage” lens, we have reached a crucial pivoting point, where it could cost companies more to refuse to do better for farm animals than to continue treating them badly. By the end of 2016, over 200 food businesses in the U.S. had committed to switch from caged to cage-free eggs. By mid-2018, nearly 90 companies had committed to giving chickens raised for meat better genetics, environment and slaughter. Despite the current political uncertainties, we are currently experiencing a monumental wave of progress for farmed animal welfare through this new approach.
