Can ‘Personhood’ Really Protect Nature? The rights-of-nature movement aims to step in where environmental regulations fall short. But some critics are wary of the legal consequences.

The rights-of-nature movement aims to step in where environmental regulations fall short. But some critics are wary of the legal consequences.

‘Navigating in Guts’: a Former Worker Exposes Conditions Inside Slaughterhouse The whistleblower has posted footage from inside a JBS pork plant, showing broken equipment and a near-impossible working environment.

The whistleblower has posted footage from inside a JBS pork plant, showing broken equipment and a near-impossible working environment.

Manure Digesters Help Cut Methane — But They Also Leak On average, methane emissions fell by about 25%. But methane leaks from manure digesters can be so potent that they need to be constantly monitored, researchers say.

On average, methane emissions fell by about 25%. But methane leaks from manure digesters can be so potent that they need to be constantly monitored, researchers say.

‘I don’t go out’: Vermont’s undocumented dairy workers live in fear after immigration raids A tenfold increase in the number of immigration detentions has compelled many workers to barely leave the farms where they work

A tenfold increase in the number of immigration detentions has compelled many workers to barely leave the farms where they work. Austyn Gaffney reports for @theguardian.com:

Manure Digesters Help Cut Methane — But They Also Leak On average, methane emissions fell by about 25%. But methane leaks from manure digesters can be so potent that they need to be constantly monitored, researchers say.

On average, methane emissions fell by about 25%. But methane leaks from manure digesters can be so potent that they need to be constantly monitored, researchers say.
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Can Egg Credits Crack Asia’s Cage-Free Bottleneck? A new system helps restaurants meet cage-free commitments even when supply chains keep them serving caged eggs.

Around the world, consumers are shifting towards cage-free eggs as an alternative to battery-caged eggs, but markets in Asia have been slow to adopt cage-free. Could egg credits be the solution? Seth Millstein reports:

Trustfnd | Climate newsletter bundle Twelve climate newsrooms joined forces in 2025 to create the Climate News Task Force, to increase and improve climate journalism collaborations and innovate new solutions to current challenges.

Climate accountability journalism is stronger when newsrooms work together. Sentient and other members of the Climate News Task Force have built a single signup page so readers can get updates from all of us. One form, multiple trusted sources ⬇️

More Than 71% of Americans Oppose Common Factory Farming Practices A new poll finds widespread disapproval of standard confinement and slaughter methods used in the animal agriculture industry.

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Text reads: 71% of Americans surveyed oppose factory farms.

Nearly all livestock in the United States are raised on cramped factory farms, and, according to a poll by @faunalytics.bsky.social, at least 71% of Americans surveyed oppose these conditions.

More Crops Grown for Fuel and Livestock Feed Than for People, New Study Finds Cutting back on beef and biofuels could help improve food security and mitigate climate emissions.

Cutting back on beef and biofuels could help improve food security and mitigate climate emissions.

Why Eating Organic Isn’t a Climate Solution Unfortunately, many organic foods are actually less climate-friendly.

Unfortunately, many organic foods are actually less climate-friendly.

Lab-Grown Meat Had a Rocky Start. Chefs Are Still Trying to Make It Work. Despite political and industry setbacks, cultivated meat is finding an audience with sustainability minded chefs.

Despite political and industry setbacks, cultivated meat is finding an audience with sustainability minded chefs. Jaia Clingham-David reports for Bon Appétit:

Urban Foragers Are Mapping Edible Plants Around the World The nonprofit Falling Fruit’s interactive, crowdsourced map helps communities find food-bearing plants in cities around the world.

The nonprofit Falling Fruit’s interactive, crowdsourced map helps people identify food growing in public spaces that might otherwise go to waste.

John McCracken - Sentient Posts by John McCracken - John McCracken covered the industrial agriculture meat industry for Investigate Midwest. He has experience reporting at the intersection of agriculture,…

He has received a 2022 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award and a Wisconsin Newspaper Association investigative reporting award.

Read some of his past reporting here:
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Joining Sentient: John McCracken, Investigative Reporter, Iowa Reporting Project

Sentient is thrilled to announce that John McCracken will be joining us as an investigative reporter!

Previously, McCracken covered industrial agriculture for Investigate Midwest. He has experience reporting at the intersection of farming, environmental pollution and climate change.

Donate to Sentient Sentient is an independent, nonprofit news organization reporting on the impacts of factory farming.

Your donation can help us reach millions of readers hungry for fresh reporting on where their food comes from.

And if you donate this year, your impact will be doubled. A generous donor has agreed to match reader donations made in 2026 dollar for dollar — up to $50,000.

The Government Wants You to Eat Real Food. But What Does That Actually Mean? If industrialized processing is a marker for ‘not real’ food, how can industrialized meat fall under the designation of ‘real’?

If industrialized processing is a marker for ‘not real’ food, how can industrialized meat fall under the designation of ‘real’?

The Causes and Effects of Deforestation, Explained A big aspect of climate change, summarized briefly.

The causes and effects of deforestation are complex and intertwined, and the impacts are far-reaching and undeniable.

Can Black Soldier Fly Larvae Tackle the Manure and Antibiotic Resistance Problems in our Food System? The insects show promise in turning livestock waste into more sustainable fertilizer and by reducing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but how well that’ll work in the real world is unclear.

Black soldier flies show promise in turning livestock waste into more sustainable fertilizer and by reducing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but how well that’ll work in the real world is unclear.

Thanks for letting us know — we will share this with the FFJN manager!

‘They want to keep denying us our rights’: workers in Vermont’s $5.4bn dairy industry fight for basic labor protections Migrant labor fuels much of Vermont’s dairy industry, but workers are exempt from minimum wage rules, overtime protections and the right to unionize

Migrant labor fuels much of Vermont’s dairy industry, but workers are exempt from minimum wage rules, overtime protections and the right to unionize. Austyn Gaffney reports for @theguardian.com:

In an Era of Mega-Farms, These Schools Still Serve (Some) Locally Grown Food A Minnesota school district is sourcing food from small regional farms, channeling public dollars back into communities squeezed by agricultural consolidation.

A Minnesota school district is sourcing food from small regional farms, channeling public dollars back into communities squeezed by agricultural consolidation.

‘Navigating in Guts’: a Former Worker Exposes Conditions Inside Slaughterhouse The whistleblower has posted footage from inside a JBS pork plant, showing broken equipment and a near-impossible working environment.

Read the full story by @jesslsr.bsky.social:
sentientmedia.org/former-worke...

An employee walks through discarded animal parts inside Louisville’s JBS Swift slaughterhouse. He told Sentient that conditions at the plant mean workers were frequently “navigating in guts.”

How To Explain Lab-Grown Meat Simply to People Who Aren't Scientists The most common questions about cultivated meat, answered in plain English.

The most common questions about cultivated meat, answered in plain English.

The Government Wants You to Eat Real Food. But What Does That Actually Mean? If industrialized processing is a marker for ‘not real’ food, how can industrialized meat fall under the designation of ‘real’?

If industrialized processing is a marker for ‘not real’ food, how can industrialized meat fall under the designation of ‘real’?

TB-Infected Cow in Michigan Discovered Beyond High-Risk Zone A new bovine tuberculosis case shows that the disease, long thought largely eradicated, persists despite years of statewide efforts.

A new bovine tuberculosis case shows that the disease, long thought largely eradicated, persists despite years of statewide efforts.

With Iran War, food prices will grow faster than originally expected this year, USDA predicts - Investigate Midwest In late February, President Trump approved attacks on Iran — and potentially blew a hole through a signature campaign promise.  As he ran for a second presidency, Trump said repeatedly he would…

In late February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture had already predicted food prices in 2026 would increase faster than inflation. A month into the war, some prices will likely skyrocket. @skychadde.bsky.social reports for @investigatemidwest.bsky.social:

Bird Flu Detected in Iowa Backyard Chicken Flocks as Migration Raises Risk Backyard chickens are also vulnerable to avian flu, and experts warn that spring migration can accelerate infections across these bird populations.

Backyard chickens are also vulnerable to avian flu, and experts warn that spring migration can accelerate infections across these bird populations.

How JBS — the World’s Largest Meat Company — Avoids Paying Taxes By utilizing intercompany loans and dividends, and a network of shell companies based in Luxembourg, JBS has been able to dodge paying taxes where it conducts business.

Read more about intercompany loans and a network of shell companies in Luxembourg:
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