Animal welfare vs. animal rights: combating activist groups

Animal rights organizations continue to push for an end to animal agriculture. The ag industry must be aware of activists' agendas and promote the truthful message about how consumers' food is produced.

Groups such as Denver Baby Animal Save have an agenda of animal rights, rather than animal welfare. This particular group recently admitted via Facebook to entering a farm and removing chickens from the property in an effort to 'save' them. | Screenshot from Facebook
Groups such as Denver Baby Animal Save have an agenda of animal rights, rather than animal welfare. This particular group recently admitted via Facebook to entering a farm and removing chickens from the property in an effort to 'save' them. | Screenshot from Facebook

Consumers crave information about how the animals they eat are raised and where their food comes from, but unfortunately they frequently turn to Google, getting answers from animal activist organizations rather than directly from the farmers and ranchers who care for these animals and the companies that produce the food.

Allyson Jones-Brimmer, director of membership at the Animal Agriculture Alliance, presented recent trends in animal activism and ways the ag industry can help to combat activists at USPOULTRY's Feed Mill Management Seminar in Nashville on March 20.

According to Jones-Brimmer, animal welfare is not the goal of these activist organizations – animal rights is.

“We believe continuous improvement in animal welfare that’s backed by research and data is vitally important to our industry, but animal rights is what these individuals are promoting, and that is not what we are in favor of and definitely not what anyone who works in the industry would be in favor of either,” said Jones-Brimmer about the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s mission.

Some themes of animal rights groups’ agendas that Jones-Brimmer identified from the 2017 Animal Rights National Conference were:

  • Stop using the term “factory farming,” because they believe farms of all sizes are bad.
  • Never stop pressuring restaurants and retailers.
  • Breaking the law is worth it in the name of animal rights.
  • Extreme protesting and disruptions are encouraged.

Animal activist group tactics

In following with some activist groups’ belief that breaking the law is OK for animal rights, these groups often employ a variety of tactics to encourage consumers to stop eating meat and end all animal agriculture.

Protest and disruptions are becoming a lot more popular for some of the groups hoping to attain the same success as other social justice movements, Jones-Brimmer said.

To try to reach as many consumers as possible, activist groups are working with religious organizations and schools to promote their agenda with campaigns like “Meatless Monday,” especially on college campuses where it might be the first time a person is making their own food purchases, she said. The groups also take out billboards and air commercials nationwide with images of animals, trying to appeal to consumers’ emotions for monetary donations and support.

Likewise, these groups use celebrities to appeal to consumers as well as pressure highly visible organizations to make policy changes. When working to make broader legislative changes, Jones-Brimmer said activist groups often try to work in states where a large agriculture industry doesn’t exist.

With new technology, activist groups are expanding the methods in which they attempt to spread their anti-animal agriculture agenda. Although undercover videos are nothing new to the industry, activists are taking more aggressive approaches to film them, like sneaking onto farms and using drones to capture images and video. Developments in technology have also led to the development of lab-grown meat, which activists are marketing as “clean meat” to portray that traditionally produced meat is “dirty,” according to Jones-Brimmer.

“Really anything is possible with these individuals and organizations,” she said.

Aaa Jones Brimmer Allyson Headshot

Allyson Jones-Brimmer | Animal Agriculture Alliance

What can industry do to fight back?

While animal rights groups have and will continue to go to extremes to promote their beliefs, Jones-Brimmer suggested a few things the industry can do to spread the truth about where consumers’ food really comes from and help negate the work of activists.

Advocacy, crisis management and communication must be a part of any ag company’s business plan.

Further, being proactive with communications is critical. She said that building relationships with local law enforcement, companywide media training, engaging with and supporting local community and business organizations, hosting local farm tours and open houses, and having a strong online presence are all key. And, with an increased focus on sustainability, Jones-Brimmer encouraged ag companies to share their sustainability story and how they are working to minimize their environmental impact.

“Put a face on the animal agriculture industry – show the people behind the work and why they do what they do,” she encouraged the industry.

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