Animal-rights activism is big business with various groups having the shared goal of eliminating animal agriculture. In 2022, new data shows that extremist groups brought in more than $800 million in annual income, while groups’ extreme tactics continued to put farmers, food workers, and animals in danger.
The Animal Agriculture Alliance has released two reports detailing the animal-rights movement’s interconnectedness and tactics targeting animal agriculture.
The Animal Rights Extremist Web exemplifies how animal rights groups are strategically connected in many ways, including personnel and financial support.
Several updates were made to the Animal Rights Extremist Web, including several new groups for the farm and food community: The Accountability Board and the Organization for Competitive Markets.
The Accountability Board, which fronts itself as a non-radical group and invests in over 100 of the largest publicly traded companies to force environmental and animal welfare change, is led by former Humane Society of the United States employees Josh Balk and Matthew Prescott.
The Organization for Competitive Markets sought to “enforce” rules within the agriculture community and was added to the web due to Marty Irby’s involvement as a board member. Irby is also a former employee of HSUS with close ties to its former president and CEO, Wayne Pacelle. Sentient Media, Animal Partisan, and Farm Action were added to the web.
The Radical Vegan Activism in 2022 report highlights efforts to attack animal agriculture and the true intentions of these organizations with quotes from leadership.
“No matter the animal-rights extremist group or the tactics used, they all share the same goal of eliminating animal agriculture and taking meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood off of our grocery store shelves and family tables,” said Abby Kornegay, manager of issues and engagement with the Animal Agriculture Alliance. “These reports succinctly detail those true intentions, the strategic efforts of the animal rights movement to further their agenda, and key tactics for the animal agriculture community to be aware of.”
Nearly one-third of animal rights extremist attacks documented in 2022 targeted farmers and food workers, putting them and animals in danger.
Documented direct actions to animal agriculture include:
- 95 vandalism incidents
- 70 stolen animals
- 60 criminal trespasses
- 10 arson cases
- 9 harassment and intimidation incidents
“Extremists are getting ever bolder in their efforts against animal agriculture, and direct actions at the farm, processing facility, and retail store continue to rise,” said Kornegay. “Farmers, processors, and the entire food supply chain are encouraged to implement security measures that protect against potential threats.”
In addition to demanding change through direct actions, animal rights groups are also attempting to force change through fundraising efforts which help fund their various efforts and campaigns. The primary animal rights extremist groups included on the Animal Rights Extremist Web are major fundraisers and bring in more than $800 million in income annually.
Organizations such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals saw a dramatic increase in revenue between their previous fiscal year and the current one. In PETA’s 2021 tax filing, total revenue equaled $68 million, and according to its website, 2022 revenue equals $82 million, a nearly $14 million increase.
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