Official Statements

New York lawmakers are advancing legislation that could make the state the first on the East Coast to preemptively ban octopus factory farming, a practice scientists and advocates warn would pose significant animal welfare and environmental concerns. This week, a key Assembly bill advanced out of committee with a favorable vote, marking a major step […]

Canadians have a rare opportunity right now to help shape how cows are treated on farms across the country — and most people don’t even know it’s happening! The National Farm Animal Care Council is currently revising its Beef Code of Practice, which sets the baseline standards for the housing, handling, and management of beef […]

The following statement regarding Scott Socha’s appointment and plant-based dining in national parks may be attributed to Jennifer Behr, Director of Plant-Based Initiatives at Mercy For Animals: Scott Socha has recently been appointed to lead the National Park Service, overseeing some of America’s most iconic natural spaces. Yet, Delaware North, where Mr. Socha has held […]

The following statement regarding new research linking produce safety risks to nearby animal feedlots may be attributed to Katherine Jernigan, Director of the Transfarmation Project: Research into E. coli risks linked to produce grown near animal feedlots underscores a reality Mercy For Animals and the Transfarmation Project have long warned about: industrial animal agriculture creates […]

The following statement regarding The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act may be attributed to Alex Cerussi, Senior State Policy Manager at Mercy For Animals: As Winter Storm Fern brings dangerous cold and extreme weather across much of the country, it underscores a serious and often overlooked problem in our food system: farmed animals are […]

New research confirming that the H5N1 avian influenza virus can remain infectious in raw milk and certain raw-milk cheeses exposes a serious and escalating public health threat. What started in poultry barns is now reaching the food supply, putting consumers at risk. The fact that H5N1 can survive in milk and cheese shows how dangerously […]

The following statement regarding the release of new U.S. dietary guidelines may be attributed to Arash Yomtobian, CEO and President at Mercy For Animals: As new U.S. dietary guidelines place greater emphasis on animal protein, Mercy For Animals encourages a science-led, public health–focused discussion about food choices. Mercy For Animals believes dietary guidance should reflect […]

The following statement regarding Animal Health Canada’s strategic goals announcement may be attributed to Maha Bazzi, Director of Animal Welfare Initiatives, U.S. & Canada, at Mercy For Animals: Mercy For Animals acknowledges Animal Health Canada’s (AHC) announcement of its five strategic goals for improving the health and welfare of farmed animals by 2030. While progress […]