Cowboy Culture Clash: How Animal Rights Initiatives Are Rattling the Industry | Rising Anxieties

In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan dives into how the animal agriculture industry is getting increasingly nervous about the accelerating momentum of animal rights activism. From Wyoming rodeo defenders panicking over a proposed NYC rodeo ban to Oregon’s groundbreaking ballot initiative that would remove exemptions from animal cruelty laws, the industry’s anxieties are on full display. Meanwhile, dairy farmers’ self-congratulatory comparisons to NFL athletes and the beef industry’s concerns about dwindling cattle numbers reveal an industry desperately clinging to relevance, even as California’s Prop 12 continues to reshape the market despite industry resistance.

This episode explores:

• How a proposed NYC rodeo ban has Wyoming cowboys claiming their “culture” is under attack, revealing the industry’s defensive posture against urban animal protection measures
• Oregon’s third attempt at a comprehensive ballot initiative that would remove exemptions to animal cruelty laws, potentially transforming animal agriculture in the state
• The dairy industry’s bizarre self-congratulatory comparisons between dairy farming and professional football, highlighting their struggle for positive public perception
• Former agricultural leaders’ dramatic warnings about the “collapse” of American agriculture, while simultaneously receiving billions in government subsidies
• How California’s Prop 12 is creating market opportunities for farmers willing to adopt higher welfare standards despite industry opposition

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Join hostesses Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan on this unique and fun award-winning podcast that focuses on changing the world for animals.

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