Paicines Ranch in California

The goal is simple: stop animal factories

by empowering consumers to buy from local, ethical, and sustainable farms

Most animal products seem like cheap commodities, sold everywhere all the time, that trying to avoid them can be challenging. Products are abundant because big companies raise animals in the cheapest and fastest way possible, using concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, where animals are forced systematically to suffer in dismal conditions and where industrial farmers are left unchecked, polluting the environment and causing catastrophic impacts to our planet. This is where change must happen, and it begins with us as consumers. We can make a profound impact by deciding which businesses deserve our money.

The conditions of farm life should be apparent, not hidden. A number of small farms offer the full experience by welcoming visitors as well as overnight guests. Compare that with capturing footage inside the CAFOs, in particular those that are guarded by "ag-gag" bills, which make it virtually impossible to expose animal mistreatment and environmental pollution. How can we trust food from companies that deliberately hide the means by which they produce that food?

We want you to visit the farms and animals

because our goal is best achieved by building compassion, knowledge, and understanding

Attention should be drawn to both ends of the agricultural spectrum: the pollution and abuse committed by factories on one end, and on the other the work of farmers advancing quality of life for animals and restoration of our environment through regenerative agriculture. While factories work behind closed doors, we can counter them with awareness brought to ethical and sustainable farming.

There are no simple answers to the issues facing the majority population and planet, but we can do our part by reducing meat consumption and supporting ethical farms. By rejecting factory meat and dairy, we can make a difference on many levels. We can improve life for farm animals, help restore the environment, strengthen our local communities, and bring about industry reform.