FACT's Summer Newsletter: Humane Farming Progress and Bird Flu Concerns
By Harry Rhodes, Executive Director
Hen and Harvest Farm in California, a 2023 Fund-a-Farmer Grant Recipient
I hope this post finds you well and that you are having a wonderful summer. At FACT, our work never stops, and I am pleased to share our latest updates in our Summer FACT Sheets newsletter. In this edition, we cover exciting developments for FACT's Humane Farming Team and address the worsening threat of bird flu. You can read our full summer newsletter (pdf) or explore some of the excerpts below.
Please share the good work FACT is doing with your friends, neighbors, and family members, and consider making a gift to FACT today. This will help us get closer to our vision that all food-producing animals are raised in a humane and healthy manner and that everyone will have access to safe and humanely-produced food.
Building a Humane Future: FACT’s Impact and Vision
FACT has positively impacted the lives of over 47 million animals by helping farmers transition from industrial to humane farming practices. Read more on page 2 of the FACT Sheets about FACT's journey since 1982 and our vision for the future. This includes some exciting plans for the upcoming year, such as creating a national network of high-welfare pasture-based farmers.
What’s Coming up for FACT’s Humane Farming Team?
FACT's Humane Farming Team is gearing up for our upcoming webinar season! Join Samantha Gasson, FACT’s Humane Farming Director, as she shares her passion for bringing invaluable knowledge to farmers. With 152 webinars since 2017 and over 161,000 views, our topics range from pasture management to predator control. Read more on page 4 of the FACT Sheets.
Bird Flu Just Keeps Getting Worse
Bird flu is spreading rapidly through poultry farms and wild bird populations, and now it's affecting mammals, including dairy cattle in 160 operations across 13 states. With the virus detected in grocery store milk and human cases on the rise, this outbreak has the potential to become another pandemic. FACT advocates for humane, pasture-based farming and proposes urgent actions to contain the virus. Read more on page 6 of the FACT Sheets.
Please don't hesitate to reach out about any aspect of our work. You can contact me at hrhodes@foodanimalconcerns.org or at 773-525-4952. We are grateful for the generous support of everyone in our community. Thank you for being a part of FACT's mission and helping us work towards a future where all food-producing animals are raised humanely and healthily.