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Legislation

 
December 16, 2024
By Rev. John Millspaugh

Farm Forward and U.S. Senators Push USDA for Stronger Food Label Regulations to Protect Consumers, Independent Farmers

Three U.S. Senators, working closely with Farm Forward, have urged the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to strengthen its guidelines on animal welfare and environmental labeling claims, citing widespread deception in food marketing that harms both consumers and independent farmers.

 
September 25, 2024
By Farm Forward

Farm Forward Supports the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act

Farm Forward strongly endorses the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act, along with over 100 environmental, public health, family farmer, consumer, and animal protection organizations.

 
August 29, 2024
By Andrew deCoriolis

Farm Forward Calls out the USDA Conspiring with Meat Companies to Humanewash with False “Antibiotic-Free” Labels

A USDA testing program finds that at least 20 percent of tested cattle samples labeled “raised without antibiotics” or “no antibiotics ever” tested positive for antibiotics. USDA buries findings and reports no punitive action.

 
June 19, 2024
By Andrew deCoriolis

Bird Flu Outbreak and USDA’s Failure to Prioritize Prevention

Even as the seriousness of the bird flu outbreak increases, the government refuses to address the underlying cause: factory farming.

 
December 4, 2023
By Rev. John Millspaugh

Introducing the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act

In anticipation of the 2024 Farm Bill, we are proud to play a part in introducing new federal legislation that would leverage billions of dollars of food spending by USDA to help build a more just, healthy, and sustainable food system.

 

 
February 23, 2023
By Farm Forward

Major Victory: NC Ag-gag Law Struck Down

A federal judge struck down North Carolina’s “Ag-gag” law, ruling that several of its provisions are unconstitutional and violate the First Amendment.

 
August 23, 2022
By Andrew deCoriolis

Farm Forward Sues Whole Foods for Deceiving Consumers About Antibiotic Use in “Antibiotic Free” Meat

Whole Foods Market has claimed all of their meat products come from animals not treated with antibiotics, but our findings suggest otherwise.

 
April 20, 2022
By Farm Forward

Timeline of Farm Forward’s Antibiotics Testing & Coverage

The history of Farm Forward’s efforts to reveal the truth behind Whole Foods advertising practices around animal products tells its own tale.

 
July 13, 2021
By Farm Forward

Farm Forward Wins Right to Further Pursue Downed Pig Lawsuit Against USDA 

The U.S. District Court ruled that Farm Forward and a coalition of animal and environmental protection organizations have standing to sue the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), regarding regulations at pig slaughterhouses.  

 
March 2, 2021
By Farm Forward

Methane Digesters are Not a Climate Solution

Oregon Senate sees the need to course correct its dairy industry, but the misconceived “methane digester” tax credit may have them heading in the wrong direction.

 
January 21, 2021
By Farm Forward

Mega-dairy Moratorium Bills Introduced in Oregon State Legislature

Farm Forward supports the mega-dairy moratorium which would allow a pause in the permitting of new and expanding mega-dairies until meaningful protections can be enacted to protect Oregon’s air, water, climate, rural communities, small farmers and animal welfare.

 
December 8, 2020
By Farm Forward

Farming Into the Future 

Hello again from 2050. We want you to know that your efforts in 2020 to create a more just food system won’t be for nothing.

 
July 6, 2020
By Farm Forward

Week of Action Against Tyson 

Today Farm Forward and more than 120 groups launched a week of action against Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) demanding the company address the rising number of COVID-19 cases affecting workers at its chicken, pork, and beef processing facilities.

 
September 17, 2019
By Farm Forward

USDA Publishes Egregious Final Hog Slaughter Inspection Rule

USDA proposed harmful inspection rules that we have a chance to stop! Learn more about the rules and how you can make a difference here.

 
September 12, 2019
By Farm Forward

Farm Forward Condemns Reappointment of Mega-Dairy Exec to State Agriculture Board 

Today, Farm Forward along with a coalition of family farm, animal welfare, and environmental groups sent a letter to Oregon Governor Kate Brown condemning the reappointment of Marty Myers, general manager of Threemile Canyon Farms for a second four-year term on Oregon’s Board of Agriculture.

 
September 6, 2019
By Farm Forward

Our Fight to Strike Down Chilling North Carolina Ag-gag Law Continues 

Public Justice filed a motion for summary judgment asking the Court to enjoin North Carolina from enforcing the “Anti-Sunshine Law” and declare it unconstitutional.

 
April 12, 2019
By Farm Forward

Oregon Mega-Dairy Reform Bills Die, Threatening Repeat of Lost Valley Disaster

Farm Forward joined a coalition of nearly two dozen farming, consumer, animal welfare, and environmental groups in asking Oregon leaders to put a moratorium on large, commercial dairies.

 
November 7, 2017
By Farm Forward

The Human Costs of Factory Farming

The factory farming industry harms human workers as well as the living animal products they must process at breakneck speed. Learn more here.

 
August 17, 2017
By Farm Forward

Farm Forward Calls on USDA to Act Now

The report, titled “Animal Welfare in the National Organic Program: The USDA Must Act Quickly to Ensure Consumer Trust,” documents how farmers, retailers, and consumer advocates overwhelmingly support—and expect—stronger welfare standards for animals raised under the organic program.

 
January 10, 2017
By Farm Forward

Farm Forward Joins Coalition in Opposition to Trump’s Nomination for Secretary of Labor

Farm Forward believes that a sustainable and just food system treats animals and humans with dignity. We’re facing a new administration whose agricultural advisory committee will include outspoken opponents of wage reform and animal welfare policies.

 
December 20, 2016
By Farm Forward

Our Biggest Year Yet

What sets Farm Forward apart from other animal welfare groups is our visionary leadership that looks beyond suffering reduction to the overall institutional and cultural change that will end factory farming.

 
December 14, 2016
By Farm Forward

Independent Farmers are Being Trampled by Big Ag

In a major blow to small and independent farmers the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) announced it will withdraw an interim final rule from the Obama Administration that would have set proof of harm standards under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

 
July 7, 2016
By Farm Forward

USDA to Propose Long-Awaited Improvements to Certified Organic Label

In response to the Trump Administration’s second delay of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule, Farm Forward joins The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) to entreat the USDA to implement the rules without further delay

 
March 2, 2016
By Farm Forward

Factory Farming is Bad for Investors, Too

Factory farming isn’t just bad for animals, humans, and the planet, but also for investments! See what FAIRR is saying about the risks here.

 
October 28, 2015
By Farm Forward

A Revolutionary Ballot Initiative for Animals

A strong national movement is developing to ban one of the cruelest practices in animal agriculture—the use of cages and crates for confinement on factory farms.

 
April 15, 2015
By Ben Goldsmith

Globalization and Factory Farming

Want to know one of the greatest barriers to promoting better animal welfare and greater sustainability in farming? Learn more here.

 
January 28, 2012
By Ben Goldsmith

Striking Down Animal Welfare

A California law that has protected the public from consuming meat from animals that are too sick or injured to even stand was overturned. Learn more of the implications here.

 
July 14, 2011
By Aaron S. Gross, PhD

Historic Welfare Legislation

The story behind the joint efforts of egg-industry and animal welfare professionals from the unique perspective of Farm Forward’s founder.

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Legislation
 
April 15, 2010
By Ben Goldsmith

Ohio

A huge victory in the fight against industrial agriculture in Ohio. The details of the agreement, and history of it coming in to being through actions of the public and public servants working together are here.

 
June 14, 2009
By Ben Goldsmith

Michigan

Farm Forward applauds these changes and especially the trend in agribusiness to sit at the negotiation table. That said, over the course of the next decade more than 6.3 billion laying hens will live and die without basic space requirements. This victory is to be celebrated but not overestimated.