Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:11:57 -0700WeeblyFri, 03 Apr 2026 23:43:43 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/charges-filed-against-rescuers-of-sick-goats-at-a-whole-foods-farmFour activists were just charged with felony grand theft, felony conspiracy, and trespass for openly rescuing two sick, baby goats from the largest goat milk producer in the U.S., Meyenberg, which supplies to Whole Foods and other major retailers. The rescue followed a months-long investigation that found dozens of dead mother and baby goats were regularly being dumped into an illegal dead pile on the property. Learn more about the case and investigation from DxE here.]]>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:37:07 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/alexandre-family-farm-loses-two-certificationsAfter Farm Forward exposed serious animal welfare concerns at Alexandre Family Farm, the company has now lost two of the certifications it relied on to market itself as a humane and regenerative dairy.
Alexandre can no longer claim the “Certified Humane” and “Regenerative Organic Certified” (ROC) certifications, or use them to enable and perpetuate consumer fraud and the abuse of dairy cows we uncovered. Read more from Farm Forward here.
For many consumers, the distinctions between meaningful and meaningless certifications are nearly impossible to parse. Labels blur together, and companies benefit from the appearance of oversight even when the standards behind those labels are weak.]]>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:11:59 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/alarming-new-report-shows-how-cage-free-hens-sufferA new white paper sets out the case, and a strong case, that industrial “cage-free” systems cause many of the same cruelties—and can in some ways add to them—for birds, who despite the fancy labels and pictures of bucolic paradise, still endure crowding, mutilations, injury, chronic stress, transport, and terrifying deaths. See the report and more info here.]]>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/website-on-californias-factory-farming-industry-launchedCalifornia has one of the largest factory farming industries in the nation, with over 1300 large-scale animal operations that collectively raise hundreds of millions of animals every year. With this map and database, you can see exactly where these facilities are located and learn about their impacts on the state.
​Factory Farm Watch aims to democratize access to information about the often secretive operations and impacts of factory farms in California. It is a resource for journalists, policymakers, advocates, and residents.
]]>Sat, 01 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/whole-foods-backed-animal-welfare-program-sued-for-deceptive-labeling​According to the lawsuit, the Global Animal Partnership (GAP), a humane-washing scheme and Whole Foods 365 brand affiliate, puts “animal welfare certified” labels on products that come from animals who have been kicked, slammed, and endured many other egregious cruelties. The misleadingly labeled product is then sold to well-meaning shoppers at Whole Foods and other grocers. Read more about the lawsuit here.]]>Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:35:22 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/humane-welfare-groups-leave-gap-board​After more than a decade of sitting on the board of directors of a group that slaps deceptive “animal welfare certified” labels on meat sold at Whole Foods, national animal welfare groups the ASPCA, Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society of the United States), and Compassion in World Farming have quietly fled the board of the Global Animal Partnership. Read more from PETA here.]]>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:25:45 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/another-farmer-focus-whistleblowerJust weeks after PETA released their initial exposé, another Farmer Focus whistleblower came forward. In addition to corroborating many of the first whistleblower’s claims—such as the mouse infestation, high numbers of broken and bruised chickens’ wings, and the malfunctioning stunning bath—the new whistleblower alleged even more problems from this Global Animal Partnership certified humane facility. See the details here.]]>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:36:40 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/oregon-supreme-court-revives-lawsuit-against-tillamookThe lawsuit alleges that Tillamook misrepresents where their products come from in their “Dairy Done Right” and “Goodbye Big Food” marketing campaigns, distancing themselves from the realities of large-scale dairy production while charging a higher price. #HumaneWashing
“This case is on behalf of all of the folks who were paying a price premium for these allegedly small-scale-produced products when in fact they’re very mass-produced,” said Amanda Howell, an attorney at Animal Legal Defense Fund, one of the litigators in the case. Read more here.]]>Wed, 11 Jun 2025 18:27:50 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/usda-confirms-animal-abuse-cruelty-at-alexandre-family-farmIn a separate development, one of the two current lawsuits against Alexandre cleared its first legal hurdle on Friday when a Humboldt County Superior Court judge ruled to allow a cruelty lawsuit to proceed against Alexandre.

Consumers who purchase milk from companies like Alexandre (and Whole Foods,) thinking they are supporting good animal welfare, are being deceived while animals continue to suffer.
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While Alexandre now appears to be the subject of increased monitoring, this case highlights the systematic failure of certification programs to ensure compliance with organic and animal welfare standards. Although Alexandre has been exposed for its egregious practices, this is not a case of one bad actor. For example, as part of the investigation, Alexandre supplied the NOP with the past results of the company’s certification inspections. During the period in question, Alexandre passed inspections by multiple certification programs, including the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Certified Humane, the National Dairy FARM Program, Organic Trust Plus, and Validus.24 None of these programs identified animal welfare concerns that rose to the level of an inspection failure or noncompliance finding, allowing Alexandre to continue its mistreatment of cows, unchecked. Read more from Farm Forward here.]]>Wed, 11 Jun 2025 18:20:06 GMThttp://cruelfoods.com/news/humane-hoax-project-panel-discussionThe Humane Hoax Project will host a panel of experts on July 19th who will examine the current crisis, navigate the political turmoil, and discuss the effects on farmed animals and the food industry. Mark your calendars and register for free here.]]>