Sentient

"We're a close-knit family in some ways." That's how a beef industry group described its relationship with the early-career climate scientists it mentors. Since 2014, Canada's Beef Cattle Research Council has paired young researchers with feedlot CEOs, cattle producers and industry marketers. A new analysis argues the resulting science is focused on a very particular set of questions. "How can we make feedlots more efficient?" gets funded. "How many cattle should Canada raise at all?" doesn't. Jessica Scott-Reid reports at the link in the comments.

Anaerobic digesters have become a key part of the livestock industry’s attempts to curb methane emissions. But how do we know if they’re doing the job? A new report from environmental organization Clean Air Task Force suggests the United States needs federal standards to ensure digesters and the facilities that use them live up to their promise. Gaea Cabico reports at the link in the comments.

The extreme heat is taking its toll on dairy cows, and farmers have reason to be concerned: milk quality is going down. When cows experience heat stress, their bodies divert energy away from milk production just to stay cool. The result? Reduced yields, lower milk quality, and serious health risks for animals confined in warming environments. Melina Walling reports at the link in the comments.

As of 2024, there are 2,850 USDA-inspected slaughterhouses operating in the United States. Undercover investigations and industry reports consistently document standard practices — from electric shocking to improper stunning — that go largely unchecked by federal regulators. Read more at the link in the comments.

Three of the nation’s largest egg producers made billions during the egg crisis — and their price-fixing fine is comparably tiny.
 A Department of Justice investigation resulted in a $3.3 million settlement with major egg companies over price-fixing allegations. But since 2020, those same three companies received $193 million in taxpayer-funded bird flu bailouts from the USDA—nearly 60 times the fine. John McCracken reports at the link in the comments.

Do you know what pig and chicken farmers feed their livestock? Often, these animals are fed fish. Fishmeal comes from forage fish, like sardines and anchovies. And though they’re tiny, they play a vital role across the ocean. Some scientists are calling for more aggressive precautionary measures to protect them. Gaea Cabico reports at the link in the comments.

Trump’s USDA recently announced plans to roll back three Biden-era protections for contract chicken farmers. The move “is a setback for contract poultry growers who have spent years advocating for greater fairness, transparency, and accountability throughout the food system,” says Holly Spainhower, a senior policy specialist at Mercy For Animals. John McCracken reports at the link in the comments.

Livestock production is responsible for over 65% of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. Is the EU giving the industry a pass? The European Commission recently released its much-anticipated Livestock Strategy. Many climate advocates were disappointed by the proposal, arguing it aims to maintain, rather than reduce, current emission levels. Seth Millstein reports at the link in the comments.

Concentrated animal feeding operations, better known as factory farms, are defined by the EPA as agricultural lots or facilities where animals are confined to spaces with no pasture or vegetation for over 45 days a year. These operations are often characterized by cramped and uncomfortable conditions: battery cages for laying hens, gestation crates for pigs and crowded barns for broiler chickens, to name a few. Virtually all farm animals in the United States live in these conditions, according to the Sentience Institute. Read more at the link the comments.

Known to some proponents as “liquid gold,” colostrum is a mother cow’s first milk. It’s filled with nutrients and antioxidants, a major draw for those interested in “healthmaxxing.” However, the influencer-driven interest in colostrum is colliding with the economic realities of animal agriculture. Melina Walling reports at the link in the comments.