Podcasts about farm animal protection

Do animals have a voice? Not many are aware that India's animal laws are actually forward looking. Come discover this and other empirical evidence that Malathi Renati unearths in her conversation with Shreya Swaminath: Director, Farm Animal Protection, HSI/India. While the focus is on farmed/ domesticaled animals, the concerns are similar across other flora and fauna. It continues to be riddled with apathy and poor implementation. From improving the living conditions of farmed animals to the outdated penalties for animal cruelty, there is alot that we, as individuals, can do with a little awareness. Listen in and share your comments!  All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/ Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in/

On today's episode we'll be joined by Josh Balk, VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States. Josh leads high-profile political campaigns to pass farm animal welfare laws, including the historic Prop 12 initiative in California which passed in 2018 with more than 60% of the vote. It became the strongest law for farm animals in the world, banning the confinement of egg-laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves in cages. He also pressures fast food corporations and grocers to eliminate meat and eggs that come from caged animals in their supply chains, such as getting McDonald's — which buys two billion eggs a year — to go 100% cage-free. On the side, Josh co-founded JUST, now a billion-dollar company that revolutionized the egg by creating non-egg scrambled “egg.” It was recently named one of CNBC's Top 50 Disruptors.

On today's episode we'll be joined by Josh Balk, VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States. Josh leads high-profile political campaigns to pass farm animal welfare laws, including the historic Prop 12 initiative in California which passed in 2018 with more than 60% of the vote. It became the strongest law for farm animals in the world, banning the confinement of egg-laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves in cages. He also pressures fast food corporations and grocers to eliminate meat and eggs that come from caged animals in their supply chains, such as getting McDonald's — which buys two billion eggs a year — to go 100% cage-free. On the side, Josh co-founded JUST, now a billion-dollar company that revolutionized the egg by creating non-egg scrambled “egg.” It was recently named one of CNBC's Top 50 Disruptors.

Josh Balk is the Vice President of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the U.S. In addition, he is the cofounder of Hampton Creek, now Eat Just Inc, a food technology company famous for producing the Just Egg product. Prior to working with HSUS, Josh is known for his work at Compassion Over Killing. He has been an advocate for animals for almost 20 years. This is Josh's second episode on the future food show, where we dig a little bit deeper into the great work that he and his team are accomplishing and the future of food. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/futurefoodshow/support

Species Unite will be back with a brand new season next Thursday the 28th. Until then, we are re-sharing one of our favorite episodes, a conversation with Josh Balk. “The time to begin phasing out the intensive confinement systems in which we raise billions of animals is now. We need to accelerate society's direction of reducing demand for meat from animal factory farms and shift instead to more of an emphasis on healthier — and safer — plant-based foods. As our population grows, plant-based foods are also more sustainable and affordable for societies globally. Unless we — especially legislators and the food industry — make changes immediately, the concerning practices in animal agribusiness will remain. Only in transforming our food system can we eliminate the tinderbox ready to explode in our country. We can't afford to wait.” - Josh Balk and Dr. Shivam Yoshi, Pandemic on Our Plates Social distancing is the key to slowing the spread of COVID-19. We know this. It has worked and is still working. But, we also know that in this unsettling time, a time where we are fully aware that staying apart does indeed save lives, just the opposite is taking place at factory farms and meat processing plants all across America. Slaughterhouses are being forced to stay open and their workers must remain in close proximity to one another to be able to get their jobs done. And, they are getting sick and they are dying. And, on factory farms, billions of animals are “living” in cramped, filthy, overcrowded spaces with almost no room to move their antibiotic-fueled bodies - conditions that are creating a perfect storm for the next zoonotic disease to emerge and spread. This threat is nothing new, as diseases have already come from factory farms - we've just gotten lucky in terms of their spread. But the clock is ticking. Josh Balk has been a global leader in animal protection for the past 20 years. He is the Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States, and he's the co-founder of plant-based, food manufacturing company, JUST, as in JUST Mayo and my favorite invention of the 21st century, JUST Egg. Josh has spent a couple of decades focusing on and fighting against extreme confinement on America's factory farms: confinement practices like cramming many chickens into small battery cages for their entire lives, and days old calves in tiny veal crates where they can barely move, and keeping mother pigs in gestation crates (small metal cages that fit around their bodies like steel coffins). These are some of the cruelest practices on the planet and they are the status quo at factory farms in most American states. Josh and his team have scored huge victories on changing animal welfare policies at some of the world's largest companies and by changing legislation in many states. But there's still a long way and a lot of states to go. And, there are still billions of animals suffering. And, right now, while we are in the midst of a public health crisis that started because of how we treat animals, we need to demand that our food industry change; otherwise we're setting ourselves up for a much larger crisis. Josh is a hero and a world changer, and many humans and millions of animals are lucky to have this guy in their corner.

To create a vegan world, we need to give the people chicken. Sounds like an oxymoron, but the VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States is paving the way for people to ditch the cruelty and still enjoy the foods they love. His career spans undercover investigation work, negotiating with corporations to include plant-based options, supporting companies the produce plant-based animal alternatives, and passing legislation in favor of animal welfare. He co-founded the internationally known JUST (the makers of vegan eggs and now, no-kill chicken) and was instrumental in passing Prop 12 in California. Josh's affable personality and positive energy make him a delight to listen to—when Josh speaks, even the darkest topics glimmer with hope.  What we discuss in this episode:   - Josh's transition from baseball hopeful to animal advocate   - Going undercover in a chicken slaughterhouse   - The founding of JUST and its run-in with the egg lobby   - The first “no-kill” (clean meat) chicken    - The significance of Prop 12 in California in 2018   - The Humane Society of the United States   Connect with Switch4Good - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ2toqAmlQpwR1HDF_KKfGg   - Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Switch4Good/   - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/switch4good/   - Twitter - https://twitter.com/Switch4GoodOrg   - Website - https://switch4good.org/

On this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, I speak with Laura Fox and Daniel Wiener about The Humane Society of the United States v. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, in which animal advocacy groups are taking on the USDA's plans for what to do to the chickens who, trapped in factory farms, inevitably come down with bird flu, endangering humans as well as birds with a potential pandemic. After the USDA virtually ignored the suggestion that the birds should be kept in less crowded and less brutal surroundings as a way to possibly avoid such an outbreak, the agency instead decided the birds' ventilation should be shut off so they can slowly die a horrible death. Oh, and the "farmers" will be compensated by taxpayers for their losses. The horrors visited upon animals seem to keep getting worse, but at least a recent standing decision in US District Court in California will let the case proceed and the courts will have an opportunity to decide whether they have finally just gone too far. Laura Fox joined the Humane Society of the United States' Animal Protection Law department in 2015 as an attorney focusing on issues related to puppy mills, and now is the Staff Attorney for Farm Animal Protection working on efforts to reduce extreme confinement practices and challenging their environmental impacts. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Animal Law at George Mason's Scalia Law School. Daniel Wiener is an associate in the Litigation practice of Shearman and Sterling.

Maho joins me to talk about animal protection in Japan. Maho and I met in 2011 after the earthquake and tsunami, when we were working to help some local rescue groups there. Maho continued on to become an amazing warrior for farm animals, especially the egg laying hen, who she works hard now to free from confinement with The Humane League Japan. Maho meets with corporations to influence them to pledge to go cage free. She also works with egg producers to influence them to produce more cage free eggs, to provide to the market. SIMPLE IDEA: Look at our plate when we sit down to eat and think about our food. Trace it back to its root. Where is it coming from and if it is meat or eggs, how were the animals raised, kept, and slaughtered? Make changes to clean up what we eat. SHOW NOTES: https://ForAnimalsForEarth.com/podcast/40

Josh Balk, Farm Animal Protection Josh Balk is vice president of Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States. He’s  led the country’s transformational legislative campaigns that criminalize factory farming practices, including spearheading the historic California Proposition 12 ballot measure, the world’s strongest law for farm animals. Since then he’s waged successful campaigns passing similar laws in Oregon, Washington, Michigan and Colorado. Josh also leads negotiations with the world’s largest corporations to enact animal farm welfare policies, including with McDonald’s, Walmart, Kroger and Denny’s. Prior to coming to HSUS, he worked as an undercover investigator exposing cruelties within factory farms and slaughterhouses.  He’s also a co-founder of Eat Just, a company the makes the Just Egg product.

To create a vegan world, we need to give the people chicken. Sounds like an oxymoron, but the VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States is paving the way for people to ditch the cruelty and still enjoy the foods they love. His career spans undercover investigation work, negotiating with corporations to include plant-based options, supporting companies the produce plant-based animal alternatives, and passing legislation in favor of animal welfare. He co-founded the internationally known JUST (the makers of vegan eggs and now, no-kill chicken) and was instrumental in passing Prop 12 in California. Josh’s affable personality and positive energy make him a delight to listen to—when Josh speaks, even the darkest topics glimmer with hope.    What we discuss in this episode:   - Josh’s transition from baseball hopeful to animal advocate   - Going undercover in a chicken slaughterhouse   - The founding of JUST and its run-in with the egg lobby   - The first “no-kill” (clean meat) chicken    - The significance of Prop 12 in California in 2018   - The Humane Society of the United States   Connect with Switch4Good - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ2toqAmlQpwR1HDF_KKfGg   - Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Switch4Good/   - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/switch4good/   - Twitter - https://twitter.com/Switch4GoodOrg

January 22, 2021 It’s the three-year anniversary of the Paw & Order podcast! Thanks so much to our listeners for tuning in and for supporting the show. You’re the reason we can continue to spread the message of animal law to the masses, and inspire much-needed change for animals. In Episode 71, Camille Labchuk interviews... Read more »

If you’re a regular listener of the show, you likely already know that reducing humanity’s reliance on animals for food is one of the most pressing challenges the world faces at this moment. But meat demand just keeps rising and we’re raising more animals for food today than ever before. One thing keeping meat alternatives merely as alternatives is that plant-based meat is still sold at multiples over the cost of animal-based meat. In other words, lowering the cost of meat alternatives seems like a true business and moral imperative. Kristie Middleton has spent her life trying to move our food industry away from animal usage and toward plant proteins. She knows as well as anyone just how critical price is when it comes to influencing institutional purchasing decisions. After spending two decades working for animal welfare charities, including authoring a book on meat reduction, she’s now left the life of a nonprofit animal activist behind and embraced an executive role at an early-stage plant-based chicken startup called Rebellyous Foods.  Their goal is very simple to understand but incredibly difficult to achieve: compete on cost with commodity chicken. In this episode we talk about Kristie’s transition from the world of charities to the work of building a company aimed at helping animals. We also discuss how Rebellyous Foods intends to bend the cost curve of plant-based meat and what they’re doing with the $12 million they’ve raised from venture capitalists so far. It’s an inspirational tale for anyone interested in making the world a better place for all animals, human and nonhuman alike. Discussed in this episode Kristie’s book MeatLess: Transform the Way You Eat and Live — One Meal at a Time Meatless Mondays in LA schools, which Kristie helped implement Great by Choice by Jim Collins Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki Christie Lagally, the founder and CEO of Rebellyous Food Our past episodes featuring Toni Okamoto and Colleen Patrick Goudreau. Food Biz Wiz podcast with Alli Ball Startup CPG More about Kristie Middleton Kristie Middleton is vice president of business development for Rebellyous Foods and the author of MeatLess: Transform the Way You Eat and Live—One Meal at a Time. Prior to joining Rebellyous, Kristie was Managing Director of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States, where she built and led a team of foodservice professionals working with foodservice management corporations and institutions across the U.S. to help them reduce meat purchases and incorporate more plant-based options into their menus. Kristie has partnered with the nation’s biggest school districts including Los Angeles, Detroit, and Boston and some of the world’s largest food companies to implement plant-based initiatives such as Meatless Monday.

On this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, I welcome Laura Fox, Staff Attorney for Farm Animal Protection at The Humane Society of the United States, to talk about the 4th Circuit's decision in McKiver v Murphy Brown, which has created quite a stir in the animal law world. It is a story which we have all heard before -- neighbors of pig factory farms in North Carolina whose homes, some of which have been in their families for generations, have been rendered close to uninhabitable by the stench and degradation of the environment caused by nearby pig factory farms. The reason that this case stands out in particular for animal advocates is the extraordinary concurrence by Judge James Harvie Wilkinson III, which not only finds merit in the plaintiffs' arguments, but sympathizes with the animals whose misery and confinement are not only horrific, but are part and parcel of the harms created by these facilities. You are not going to want to miss this episode. Laura Fox joined HSUS’s Animal Protection Law department in 2015 as an attorney focusing on issues related to puppy mills and now is the Staff Attorney for Farm Animal Protection. Laura works to protect farm animals from the industrialized practices of factory farms, including by reducing extreme confinement practices and challenging their environmental impacts. A large aspect of Laura’s work is spent filing complaints with federal and state agencies and litigating issues arising under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and other federal statutes, as well as litigating consumer protection cases at the state level. Laura is also an Adjunct Professor of Animal Law at George Mason’s law school and has taught courses in philosophy and ethics.

On today's episode we'll be joined by Josh Balk, VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States. Josh leads high-profile political campaigns to pass farm animal welfare laws, including the historic Prop 12 initiative in California which passed in 2018 with more than 60% of the vote. It became the strongest law for farm animals in the world, banning the confinement of egg-laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves in cages. He also pressures fast food corporations and grocers to eliminate meat and eggs that come from caged animals in their supply chains, such as getting McDonald's — which buys two billion eggs a year — to go 100% cage-free. On the side, Josh co-founded JUST, now a billion-dollar company that revolutionized the egg by creating non-egg scrambled “egg.” It was recently named one of CNBC's Top 50 Disruptors.

On today’s episode we’ll be joined by Josh Balk, VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States. Josh leads high-profile political campaigns to pass farm animal welfare laws, including the historic Prop 12 initiative in California which passed in 2018 with more than 60% of the vote. It became the strongest law for farm animals in the world, banning the confinement of egg-laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves in cages. He also pressures fast food corporations and grocers to eliminate meat and eggs that come from caged animals in their supply chains, such as getting McDonald’s — which buys two billion eggs a year — to go 100% cage-free. On the side, Josh co-founded JUST, now a billion-dollar company that revolutionized the egg by creating non-egg scrambled “egg.” It was recently named one of CNBC’s Top 50 Disruptors.

Join Alex as he sits down (virtually) with Josh Balk, Vice President, Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the U.S./ Founder of Hampton Creek. The two discuss where the world is headed in terms of the foods we eat and advancements in food technology. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/futurefoodshow/support

On today's episode we'll be joined by Josh Balk, VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States. Josh leads high-profile political campaigns to pass farm animal welfare laws, including the historic Prop 12 initiative in California which passed in 2018 with more than 60% of the vote. It became the strongest law for farm animals in the world, banning the confinement of egg-laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves in cages. He also pressures fast food corporations and grocers to eliminate meat and eggs that come from caged animals in their supply chains, such as getting McDonald's — which buys two billion eggs a year — to go 100% cage-free. On the side, Josh co-founded JUST, now a billion-dollar company that revolutionized the egg by creating non-egg scrambled “egg.” It was recently named one of CNBC's Top 50 Disruptors.

On today’s episode we’ll be joined by Josh Balk, VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States. Josh leads high-profile political campaigns to pass farm animal welfare laws, including the historic Prop 12 initiative in California which passed in 2018 with more than 60% of the vote. It became the strongest law for farm animals in the world, banning the confinement of egg-laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves in cages. He also pressures fast food corporations and grocers to eliminate meat and eggs that come from caged animals in their supply chains, such as getting McDonald’s — which buys two billion eggs a year — to go 100% cage-free. On the side, Josh co-founded JUST, now a billion-dollar company that revolutionized the egg by creating non-egg scrambled “egg.” It was recently named one of CNBC’s Top 50 Disruptors.

Josh Balk is Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). What happens when a 15-year-old boy watches a video on how farm animals are treated, caged, and butchered?  Well, if they are anything like our guest today, Josh Balk, they go undercover at slaughterhouses and gather audio and video evidence to stop the inhumane and barbaric practices of the industry.   They channel their passion for animal advocacy and partner with a childhood friend to create JUST, one of the most popular plant-based food companies in the world. In this podcast episode, we’ll get a glimpse of Josh’s childhood, which was a combination of 2 passions – animals and baseball.  He had big dreams of becoming a professional baseball player, but at the same time, he had big dreams about fighting for animal rights.   We’ll learn about Josh’s early work with Compassion Over Killing, as well as his current work with the Humane Society in the US where he lives and breathes his vegan advocacy.  We’ll talk about how Josh is helping connect plant-based companies with venture-capitalists and assisting plant-based restaurant startups.  We’ll also share the story of how Josh co-founded JUST, the revolutionary company that is helping to take plant-based foods mainstream.   A man that looks up to Abraham Lincoln for his resilience and focus, paired with empathy and kindness, is somebody we all can learn from.

Factory farming To begin, Peter welcomes Josh Balk, VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Josh reports the HSUS is waging a strong campaign against factory farming on a number of fronts. One effort involves legislative campaigns to ban the confinement of egg laying hens, mother pigs and […]

As the movement against animal cruelty and the suffering caused by the meat and dairy industries continues to gain momentum, there are important and world-shifting developments happening across many different sectors of industry and science. Joining us to talk about his work to reduce animal cruelty in the food sector is Josh Balk, Vice President of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society. Having been a part of important and substantive legislative change in the animal rights movement, including the recent Proposition 12, which has banned the sale of caged animals’ eggs, veal, and pork in California, Josh is expertly positioned to offer insight into the current state of the cause. He has witnessed an amazing transformation over the past few years, and it is refreshing to hear someone on the frontlines run through the valuable victories that have been won. Josh shares some thoughts on how change actually occurs in his world, and his thoughts on shifting culture in an inclusive and friendly way make a lot of sense. For Josh, the task of reducing meat and dairy consumption is best approached through innovation and taste, and he believes that once people are exposed to convenient and delicious forms of cruelty-free food products, massive change will be within reach. One way he is pioneering this is by cofounding the already popular alternative-meat brand — JUST.Josh talks about plant-based foodstuffs as well as the looming possibility of commercially available cultivated meat — meaning meat that is created independently from the life of an animal. We hear from him why this idea of lab-grown meat is not actually as shocking or freaky as some of us might feel and his vision for how it can catch on in a major way. Josh comments on the usefulness of an obsessive dedication to a cause, and working with the grain to bring people on board through non-accusatory and non-judgmental means. For a truly inspiring chat with someone making a sizable impact on the future of a more humane world, do not miss this conversation! Listen at one of the links below:Listen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsListen on Apple PodcastsRead the full summary here

Josh Balk is the VP of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society and Co-founded Hampton Creek, which is now Just Inc. Just makes plant-based eggs and mayo, with no chickens required.Inc. Magazine named Josh as one of its "35 under 35". You can follow him on Twitter @JoshBalk and keep up with the work of The Humane Society at HumaneSociety.org for updates.

“The time to begin phasing out the intensive confinement systems in which we raise billions of animals is now. We need to accelerate society’s direction of reducing demand for meat from animal factory farms and shift instead to more of an emphasis on healthier — and safer — plant-based foods. As our population grows, plant-based foods are also more sustainable and affordable for societies globally. Unless we — especially legislators and the food industry — make changes immediately, the concerning practices in animal agribusiness will remain. Only in transforming our food system can we eliminate the tinderbox ready to explode in our country. We can’t afford to wait.” Josh Balk and Dr. Shivam Yoshi, Pandemic on Our Plates Social distancing is the key to slowing the spread of COVID-19. We know this. It has worked and is still working. But, we also know that in this absolutely insane time, a time where we are fully aware that staying apart does indeed saves lives, just the opposite is taking place at factory farms and meat processing plants all across America. Slaughterhouses are being forced to stay open and their workers must remain in close proximity to one another to be able to get their jobs done. And, they are getting sick and they are dying. And, on factory farms, billions of animals are “living” in cramped, filthy, overcrowded spaces with almost no room to move their antibiotic-fueled bodies - conditions that are creating a perfect storm for the next zoonotic disease to emerge and spread. This threat is nothing new, diseases have already come from factory farms - we’ve just gotten lucky in terms of their spread. But the clock is ticking. Josh Balk is has been a global leader in animal protection for the past 20 years. He is the Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States, and he’s the co-founder of plant based, food manufacturing company, JUST, as in JUST Mayo and my favorite invention of the 21st century, JUST Egg. Josh has spent a couple of decades focusing on and fighting against extreme confinement on America’s factory farms, meaning practices like cramming many chickens into small battery cages for their entire lives, and keeping mother pigs in gestation crates, which are small metal cages that fit around their bodies like steel coffins, and days old calves in tiny veal crates where they can barely move. These are some of the cruelest practices on the planet and they are the status quo at factory farms in most American states. Josh and his team have scored huge victories on changing animal welfare policies at some of the worlds largest companies and by changing legislation in many states. But there's still a long way and a lot of states to go. And, there are still billions of animals suffering. And, right now, while we are in the midst of a public health crisis that started because of how we treat animals, we need to demand that our food industry change; otherwise we're setting ourselves up for a much larger crisis. Josh is a hero and a world changer and many humans and millions of animals are lucky to have this guy in their corner.

Kristie Middleton is managing director of Farm Animal Protection for The Humane Society of the United States and the author of MeatLess: Transform the Way You Eat and Live—One Meal at a Time. She’s a sought-after speaker and thought leader on plant-based eating. Middleton has partnered with the nation’s biggest school districts including Los Angeles, Detroit, and Boston and major food companies to implement plant-based initiatives such as Meatless Monday. Her work has been covered by national media, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Today my friend Kristie is sharing a story of how a client and friend of hers went from being winded while putting on socks, to losing 40 pounds in just a few months - energized, healthy, and feeling better than he had in years!! And it happened through conscious eating. She is also going to share with you a few tips you can use right now in your life to get results from your nutrition choices.

Josh Balk is Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).  Show notes for this episode: https://eftp.co/josh-balk Learn how Eat For The Planet can help your brand: https://eftp.co/services Twitter: @nilzach

Kristie Middleton is managing director of Farm Animal Protection for The Humane Society of the United States, or the HSUS,  and working with food service providers in schools is a big part of her job. Show notes for this episode: https://eftp.co/kristie-middleton   Learn how Eat For The Planet can help your brand: https://eftp.co/services Twitter: @nilzach

March 10, 2018 The post Former Governor Michael Dukakis and Josh Balk, Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) appeared first on It's Your Money and Your Life Radio Show.

Aired: 3/10/2018 7 PM::

http://kristiemiddleton.com MeatLess http://learntruehealth.com/meatless MeatLess Diet Meatless is an avenue explored by people who want to improve their health. Going vegan or vegetarian is not an easy thing to do. Some people go meatless for health benefits, and others do it for humane reasons. I bet a lot of you will be seriously thinking of going meatless after hearing what my guest, Kristie Middleton has to say. So let's get this show on the road! Early Influence Kristie Middleton grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia. Together with her older sister, Kristie Middleton doted so much on their three dogs who were regarded as dear members of their family. Because of her background, it wasn't surprising that Kristie Middleton has always had a soft heart towards animals, not only dogs. So when there was an in-depth class discussion on euthanasia when she was in college, it struck her hard. According to that college professor, set aside the term 'meat,' we are technically and eating the flesh of dead animals. The term 'meat' is something that most people take for granted. Consequently, Kristie Middleton says that class discussion was the turning point of her decision to become a vegetarian. Turning Vegetarian Going meatless was a struggle at first. But whenever Kristie Middleton is reminded of the billions of animals being abused and slaughtered for food, it strengthened her resolve not to waver from her meatless diet. It was hard years ago to find vegetarian restaurants and supermarkets, but times have changed. Kristie Middleton found that embracing a plant-based diet was initially difficult. But seeing there were more benefits than disadvantages, she persevered. She eventually took her advocacy a notch higher by gradually becoming a vegan and getting involved with a variety of non-profit animal welfare organizations. The Humane Society Of The United States Aside from working with several non-profit animal welfare organizations, Kristie Middleton leveled up and became the senior food policy director of the Humane Society. This is  where she has been working for the past eight years. The Humane Society Of The United States is the country's premier organization whose mission is primarily to protect animals. "We help institutions with incorporating meatless or more plant-based dishes in their menus. Surveys show that 95% of consumers want animals to be cared for, but there is a big disconnect between what consumers want and what the reality is," shares Kristie Middleton. Most of the work Kristie Middleton does is helping to change institutional menus rather than changing individual diet. This small but significant effort apparently has a massive impact on animals. Harsh Reality Kristie Middleton cited egg-laying hens as an example of the harsh reality that animals face. Apparently, egg-laying hens in food production factories in the United States and Canada are confined in tiny battery cages.  To paint a more brutal picture, those cages are just about the size of a desk drawer! Those hens are not able to do anything natural. After 18 months of living in cramped cages, they are sent off to slaughter. They do not get to walk around to exercise or even get out for some sunshine.  As a comparison, when we go on long plane flights, it is pure torture to be sitting in a small chair that hardly bends back, right? Just imagine what those poor chickens go through, only to meet their doom months later. "When animals are intensively confined, they are fed a high dose of antibiotics," reveals Kristie Middleton. "About 80% of antibiotics that we use are given to treat animals to prevent them from getting sick. In effect, we are consuming whatever the chickens are ingesting, and that has adverse effects on our health." MeatLess Book Earlier this year, Kristie Middleton launched her book entitled, 'MeatLess: Transform the Way You Eat and Live --- One Meal at a Time.' In the book, she explains the numerous reasons why we should go meatless, as well as several delicious plant-based recipes that are very easy to do. There's one part of the book that readers are sure to be interested in reading about. Kristie Middleton narrated this one woman who the Humane Society helped. She, along with her husband, bought a property in the central valley of California. Right beside the property was an egg farm, where the breeding conditions were inhumane. Kristie Middleton recalls that it was also an environmental nightmare. The manure from the chickens were disposed of in a big lagoon nearby, hence causing water contamination. Kristie Middleton narrates that the ammonia fumes from the egg farm were so severe such that it caused the neighbors' eyes to burn during hot days. It also caused nausea and headaches to anyone living nearby. What's worse, there was a very bad fly infestation around the area. As a countermeasure, Kristie Middleton said the Humane Society helped the couple file a suit against the farm. The court eventually awarded them a monetary settlement. There are still many farms in the United States operating under inhumane conditions so Kristie Middleton remains aggressive in advocating programs that protect animals and promoting a plant-based diet. "The Humane Society advocates the 3Rs: Reducing, Replacing and Refining. We reduce meat consumption, replace it with plants and refine by choosing to buy food from higher welfare stores," said Kristie Middleton. Transitioning To A Meatless Diet If you're serious and ready to transition to a plant-based diet, I highly recommend Kristie Middleton's book. Her book expounds on how to make gradual changes by taking small steps. "To avoid being overwhelmed with the sudden change, try meatless Mondays.  If that is initially too much for you, try to eat vegetables all day and indulge in what you want to eat for dinner. Essentially, the goal is to commit to something that is doable for you," suggested Kristie Middleton. Another way is to make meat a side dish and making fruits, vegetables, whole grain plants and proteins the center of your plate. However, there seems to be a considerable debate on how much proteins we should consume. Kristie Middleton says that ideally, women should consume 45 grams of protein while men should consume 55 grams. She says that protein is an over-emphasized nutrient and too much protein causes an increase in saturated fats and cholesterol. For a list of suggested menus, you may refer to the Menus Of Change website. "Beans, legumes and nut butter are good. Make sure to eat a balanced diet because we overeat meat. Increasing plants and reducing meat your diet will help us achieve a humane and healthful society. Bio Kristie Middleton is the senior food policy director for The Humane Society of the United States, the world’s largest animal protection organization. She directs the group’s efforts to promote plant-based eating. Kristie has worked with some of the nation’s largest school districts—including Los Angeles Unified School District, Detroit Public Schools, and Boston Public Schools—as well as dozens of hospitals and colleges to implement healthier eating programs. Kristie Middleton is the author of MeatLess: Transform the Way You Eat and Live—One Meal at a Time, due out March 2017. She travels and frequently speaks to groups associated with food and nutrition and is a regular speaker at national animal protection conferences. Kristie Middleton completed a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies in August 2014. She lives with her husband Mark, a dog and four cats in Oakland, California. Get Connected With Kristie Middleton! Official Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Humane Society Menus Of Change Book By Kristie Middleton MeatLess Book Recommended Reading by Kristie Middleton How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger    The Links You Are Looking For: Become A Health Coach Learn More About The Institute for Integrative Nutrition's Health Coaching Certification Program by checking out these four resources: 1) Integrative Nutrition's Curriculum Guide: http://geti.in/2cmUMxb 2) The IIN Curriculum Syllabus: http://geti.in/2miXTej 3) Module One of the IIN curriculum: http://geti.in/2cmWPl8 4) Get three free chapters of Joshua Rosenthal's book: http://geti.in/2cksU87 Watch my little video on how to become a Certified Health Coach! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDDnofnSldI ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you have a blood sugar issue? I can help you achieve healthy, normal and balanced blood sugar naturally! Visit BloodSugarCoach.com for your free 30min coaching call with Ashley James! http://www.BloodSugarCoach.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If this episode made a difference in your life, please leave me a tip in the virtual tip jar by giving my podcast a great rating and review in iTunes! http://bit.ly/learntruehealth-itunes Thank you! Ashley James http://bit.ly/learntruehealth-itunes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoyed this podcast episode? Visit my website Learn True Health with Ashley James so you can gain access to all of my episodes and more! LearnTrueHealth.com http://learntruehealth.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Need Help Ordering The Right Supplements For You? Visit TakeYourSupplements.com, and a FREE health coach will help you! http://takeyoursupplements.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn How To Achieve Optimal Health From Naturopathic Doctors! Get Learn True Health's Seven-Day Course For FREE! Visit go.learntruehealth.com http://go.learntruehealth.com/gw-oi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I made a low-carb, gluten-free cookbook just for you! Download your FREE copy today! Visit learntruehealth.com/free-health-cookbook http://learntruehealth.com/free-health-cookbook ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Learn True Health's Facebook community group! Visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/LearnTrueHealth or search Learn True Health on Facebook! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow the Learn True Health podcast on social media! Share with your friends and spread the word! Let's all get healthier & happier together! Learn True Health - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2LearnTrueHealth Learn True Health - Twitter: https://twitter.com/learntruehealth Learn True Health - Medium: https://medium.com/@unstoppable_ashley Learn True Health - Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/healthpodcast Learn True Health - YouTube: http://bit.ly/LTH-YouTube-Subscribe ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2LearnTrueHealth Twitter: https://twitter.com/learntruehealth Medium: https://medium.com/@unstoppable_ashley Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/healthpodcast YouTube: http://bit.ly/LTH-YouTube-Subscribe Music: bensound.com SEO and Marketing by BraveSEOMarketing.com

Kristie Middleton is the managing director of Farm Animal Protection for The Humane Society of the United States and is a leading figure in the movement to reform our global food system. She's the author of MeatLess: Transform the Way You Eat and Live- One Meal at a Time, a sought-after speaker, and thought leader on the topic. Kristie and her work have been covered by national media, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Politico, CNN, and countless others. And, along with that, she's working with school systems trying to make positive changes in the food that is being served to kids all over the country.  Excited to share our conversation!  Keep up with Kristie on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter  Check out Kristie's Website: www.kristiemiddleton.com Also, if you work for a school or know of a school that would like to implement what we discussed, send an email here for more information! meatlessmonday@humanesociety.org      Credits: Music: www.bensound.com 

On this week's episode of Animal Instinct, Celia is joined by Alicia Prygoski to discuss Arkansas's recently passed Ag-Gag Bill. Alicia is a public policy coordinator for farm animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States. She holds a law degree from Western Michigan University and was previously a lobbyist for an environmental organization in Michigan. Alicia now lives in Washington DC with her rescue dog, Patches.

Combining her passion for farm animal protection and empowering others, Paulette Benjamin recently joined the Compassion Over Killing (COK) team in Washington, D.C. as the Outreach and Events Manager. Helping organize on a grassroots level for several years, she most recently represented COK in the Citizens for Farm Animal Protection coalition in Massachusetts. Visit http://cok.net. On Saturday, September 24th, COK will host the annual DC VegFest in the nation's capital. More than 20,000 guests will gather at Yards Park for this free outdoor festival. There will also be dynamic speakers, including Leilani Münter, professional race car driver and environmental activist; Marco Antonio Regil, actor and television host; Elizabeth Kucinich, policy consultant at the Plant-Based Foods Association; Torre Washington, award-winning vegan bodybuilder; and Jonathan Balcombe, animal behavior expert, and author of What a Fish Knows; and cooking demos, a kids' zone with a moonbounce, a barking lot for dogs, live music, and so much more! Visit http://dcvegfest.com. Get the Off the Grid Into the Heart CD by Sister Jenna.  Like America Meditating & follow on Twitter.  Download our free Pause for Peace App for Apple or Android.

Paul Shapiro, the Vice President of Farm Animal Protection at the Human Society of the United States, talks about the recent events that have revealed the inhumane treatment of birds that supply eggs for Costco.

This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is getting some expert opinions on recent newsworthy stories coming from the animal welfare world, most notably the January 19, 2015 New York Times article “U.S. Research Lab Lets Livestock Suffer in Quest for Profit.” First talking to Paul Shapiro about the article and related issues, he is the Vice President of Farm Animal Protection of the Humane Society of the United States, and has played an integral role in numerous successful legislative and corporate campaigns to improve the plight of farm animals. In his role overseeing efforts to pass state laws and corporate policies, he works with lawmakers and major food retailers alike to implement animal welfare reforms in the agricultural industry. After the break, Erin chats with Sam Edwards of S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, a purveyor of Virginia Country ham, bacon, sausage and other specialty foods of the American South to get his reactions to the recent animal welfare questions raised by the New York Times article and food safety as it relates to pork. Tune in for a detailed discussion on these important issues. This program was brought to you by White Oak Pastures. “Too often in America’s meat, ag and dairy industry, suffering is the norm for these animals. We’re waging a global effort to give a voice for farm animals.” [8:48] “You can’t underestimate the importance of hearing from farmers on these issues because they will be the ones changing something to meet the new Starbucks demand” [19:27] “The meat industry is so reliant on federal handouts that it takes huge numbers of taxpayer dollars to fund this Meat Industry Research Center […] The meat industry can’t pay for its own R&D but has to reply on the government? […] Why should it get that kind of handout? […] It’s a kind of industry that loves to tout libertarianism but when it comes to wanting socialism in the form of government hand out, they have their hands cupped and out.” [23:10] —Paul Shapiro on The Farm Report “In the USDA world I live in – there’s zero tolerance. Everything is checked. If everything would be checked in the US why wouldn’t the same rules apply for an imported product? I can’t answer that.” [34:13] “There’s 5,000 years of history of doing dry cured meats correctly not causing any food borne illnesses.” [38:21] “The marketplace drives what we sell. When started developing connections with companies like Heritage Foods USA to buy fresh pork that was certified humane, we did it just because the chefs or store we ultimately sold the product to demanded that.” [47:03] “A happy pig, in our mind, seems to taste better.” [48:38] –Sam Edwards on The Farm Report

Episode 83 features Paul Shapiro of the Humane Society of the United States. Since 2005 Paul Shapiro has been the Vice President for Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States. Prior to joining the HSUS, Paul was, for 10 years, the founder and campaigns director of Compassion Over Killing, a group he initially began while still in high school. Paul joins us today to

Quick Bites is a new series giving you a behind the scenes listen to our guests talking candidly with Host Jaq Gleason. Interesting questions, quick answers, and a whole lot of laughter. This episode features Paul Shapiro, Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States. Jaq interviewed him as part of our upcoming in-depth podcast on sustainable meat. Enjoy this little taste and remember, food worth eating is worth discussing.

In this third podcast of a four-part series devoted to Twin Cities Veg Fest 2014, Compassionate Action for Animals’ Executive Director Unny Nambudiripad interviews visiting speaker Paul Shapiro, Vice President of Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States. In addition to offering a preview of his talk for the festival, Paul… Continue reading →

Paul Shapiro is Katy Keiffer’s guest on this week’s installment of What Doesn’t Kill You to talk about animal welfare and ag gag laws. Paul is the Vice President, Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States. Shapiro’s work has helped enact farm animal protection laws in California, Arizona, Michigan, Maine, Colorado, Oregon, and Ohio. He’s also worked with dozens of companies, including some of the world’s top retailers, to improve animal welfare in their supply chains. Find out why the meat industry is trying to blow the whistle on whistleblowers. Learn more about poultry farming practices on factory farms, and how the treatment of chickens offers many food safety considerations. Learn how the meat industry intends to stifle media outlets through ag gag laws! This program has been sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “This is problem because routine practices in the meat industry have become inhumane. This isn’t just a case of a few rotten eggs!” [7:05] — Paul Shapiro on What Doesn’t Kill You

Paul Shapiro is Katy Keiffer’s guest on this week’s installment of What Doesn’t Kill You to talk about animal welfare and ag gag laws. Paul is the Vice President, Farm Animal Protection for the Humane Society of the United States. Shapiro’s work has helped enact farm animal protection laws in California, Arizona, Michigan, Maine, Colorado, Oregon, and Ohio. He’s also worked with dozens of companies, including some of the world’s top retailers, to improve animal welfare in their supply chains. Find out why the meat industry is trying to blow the whistle on whistleblowers. Learn more about poultry farming practices on factory farms, and how the treatment of chickens offers many food safety considerations. Learn how the meat industry intends to stifle media outlets through ag gag laws! This program has been sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “This is problem because routine practices in the meat industry have become inhumane. This isn’t just a case of a few rotten eggs!” [7:05] — Paul Shapiro on What Doesn’t Kill You