Drawing the Line on Factory Farms: Policy Approaches to Industrial Agriculture

Our Hen House presents an eye-opening conversation about the growing movement to limit factory farming through state legislation, focusing on New York’s efforts while exploring the broader national implications. This episode explores how advocates are working to address the environmental devastation and animal suffering caused by industrial animal agriculture through policy change.

This episode explores:

• The details of New York’s proposed legislation to ban new large-scale factory farms and its potential impact on the dairy industry
• How agricultural policy has shifted to favor massive industrial operations at the expense of smaller, independent farms
• The connection between factory farms, climate change, and the troubling rise of “biogas” as a false climate solution
• How coalitions of environmental, animal welfare, and community groups are finding success in states like Oregon
• The political challenges of regulating factory farms and strategies for building public awareness about these issues

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal represents the 67th Assembly District, which includes the Upper West Side and parts of Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan. She is a lifelong resident of the Upper West Side and serves as Chair of the Assembly Housing Committee. Since taking office in 2006, Assemblymember Rosenthal has passed more than 200 laws that have helped to improve the lives of all New York State residents. Rosenthal is a leading advocate for animal welfare, having passed the first-in-the-nation ban on cat declawing, ending the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores and prohibiting the sale of cosmetics tested on animals. She has also passed laws protecting survivors of domestic violence, preserving affordable housing, strengthening women’s rights, environmental protection, data privacy and more.

Alex Beauchamp is the Northern Region Director with the national advocacy organization Food & Water Watch. He is based in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

Krissy Kasserman is the Factory Farm Organizing Director with the national advocacy organization Food & Water Watch. She is based in Pender County, North Carolina.

We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode’s interview.

_____________________________________________

Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review!

Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series.

Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky.

The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

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

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes | Android | Google | Stitcher | RSS