News
The number of news found: 25.
07/31/2017 EGG COMPANY REPORTS $74M LOSS DUE TO VEGAN ALTERNATIVES
Large egg company Cal-Maine Foods (CMF) released its earnings report for 2017, and the numbers looked dire. For the first time in over one decade, the company reported a loss of $74.3 million for the last fiscal year. The company's profit plummeted by $24.5 million in its fourth-quarter alone—a stark contrast to the $367,000 that the company lost in the same time period last year. CMF's CEO Adolphus ("Dolph") Baker attributed the dramatic decline to the growth of the egg alternatives industry, which includes vegan-friendly items such as flax, tofu, and prepared products that contain potato starch and tapioca. (vegnews.com)
07/29/2017 MILK CAN NOW BE ADVERTISED AS INHUMANE IN UK
This month, the UK Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled to drop all allegations against Go Vegan World's (GVW) "Humane Milk is a Myth" campaign as one that misled consumers, effectively recognizing that the message from the animal-rights organization regarding dairy is valid. GVW launched its billboard campaign in February—which focused on the industry-wide practice of removing calves from mother cows—and the ASA has since received seven separate complaints regarding the advertisement's message. The ASA explained its ruling was based on the current state of dairy farming in the UK and acknowledged that the routine practice of removing calves from their mothers is an inherently inhumane practice. "Although the language used to express the claims was emotional and hard-hitting," the ASA stated in its ruling, "we understood it was the case that calves were generally separated from their mothers very soon after birth, and we therefore concluded that the ad was unlikely to materially mislead readers." This ruling not only allows vegan advertisers to make the universal claim that all milk is inhumane but also sets a precedent for a discussion regarding the "humane" status of all other practices routinely employed in the animal-agriculture industry. (vegnews.com)
07/29/2017 LAST CAPTIVE-BORN ORCA DIES AT SEAWORLD
Three-month-old killer whale Kyara died Monday from pneumonia at the San Antonio location of SeaWorld. Kyara was the last orca born in captivity as the park agreed to end its orca-breeding program in 2016. "Forty orcas have now died on SeaWorld's watch," People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' Vice President Colleen O'Brien said. "It's time for the abusement park to move the remaining animals to seaside sanctuaries before the death toll hits 41." Provocative documentary Blackfish was released in 2013 detailing the struggle of orca Tilikum—held at the Orlando location of SeaWorld until his death, also from pneumonia, in January. Along with other marine animals, the park is still holding 22 orcas captive across its three locations in San Antonio, San Diego, and Orlando. (vegnews.com)
07/28/2017 STELLA MCCARTNEY TO REPLACE SILK WITH VEGAN FIBERS
Vegetarian designer Stella McCartney is eliminating animal products from her line thanks to a new partnership with Silicon Valley biotech company Bolt Threads—which creates yeast-based vegan silk. McCartney will debut a gold shift dress made entirely of the cruelty-free material at the upcoming design exhibition "Items: Is Fashion Modern?" at the Museum of Modern Arts in New York this October. "When I first started in fashion design, I never thought there would be a day like this, where we would arrive with such an important moment when technology is fused with fashion, one of the most harmful industries to the environment," the designer said. McCartney’s brand is not vegan—she still uses wool—but eliminating silk from her line is a major step in the right direction. (vegnews.com)
07/28/2017 VEGAN BURGERS SHAKE UP NEW ZEALAND'S MEAT INDUSTRY
After a recent visit to Silicon Valley, Ian Proudfoot—the global head of agribusiness at the New Zealand branch of international financial firm KPMG—identified plant-based meat and dairy alternatives as major threats to animal agriculture in New Zealand. During his trip, Proudfoot visited vegan burger company Impossible Foods and several plant-based milk companies, including Ripple Foods—where he sampled the company's pea protein-based chocolate milk that he found was indistinguishable from organic cow's milk. "I believe that emerging forms of plant or cultured meat, egg, and dairy products," Proudfoot stated in a blog post on networking platform Linkedin, "together with entirely new segments of plant-centred nutrition, will become a significant component of the global food system." Proudfoot made a cautionary statement to the animal-agriculture industry, urging those engaged in producing milk and meat to evolve. (vegnews.com)
07/27/2017 SLOVAKIA TO BAN WILD ANIMAL CIRCUSES
In the coming months, eastern European country Slovakia will vote to amend a veterinary law to include protections for animals in circuses. "Species of wild animals which publicly perform tricks learned from humans and demonstrating atypical behavior not present in nature will be protected," Slovakia's Agriculture Ministry's press office head Vladimír Machalík said. Animal-rights group Sloboda Zvierat (Freedom of Animals) has been pushing for a ban on wild animal circuses in the country since 2012. Once the ban is enacted in January 2018, Slovakia will join a growing list of countries—including Greece, Iran, Mexico, Croatia, The Netherlands, and Bolivia—that have banned the exploitation of wild animals for human entertainment in circuses. (vegnews.com)
07/26/2017 VIETNAM TO SHUT DOWN BEAR BILE FARMS
Last week, government officials in Vietnam signed an agreement to effectively end bear bile farming in the country. For 18 years, animal-rights organization Animals Asia has been working with Vietnam's Deputy General Director of the Administration of Forestry Cao Chi Cong to end the cruel practice of extracting bile—a substance believed by some Eastern countries to have medicinal purposes—from captive bears. Bear-bile farming has been illegal in Vietnam since 1992, but a loophole in the legislation allowed for bears to be held in captivity, sometimes in private residences on behalf of the government, until now. Animals Asia founder/CEO Jill Robinson plans to work with the Vietnamese government and non-governmental organizations to create sanctuaries for the country's 1,000 bears that will now be free from the bear-bile industry. (vegnews.com)
07/25/2017 RABBI CHALLENGES SYNAGOGUES TO GO VEGAN
Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz recently launched the Synagogue Vegan Challenge—a competition that will award $25,000 to synagogues that commit to hosting at least one vegan event every month for one year. The program will select five Jewish houses of worship in the United States and/or Canada to receive a $5,000 grant supplied by grant-giving vegan community VegFund. "There's not one vegan synagogue in America," Yanklowitz said. "It's very hard to make changes, and we to have to make it easier for people. If people see that vegan food can be healthy and tasty, they are more likely to consider a dietary change. The synagogue should be a place of education, where people can learn about the health benefits of going vegan." Yanklowitz, 36, has been vegan for six years and was selected one of America's top 50 rabbis by Newsweek for two years in a row in 2012 and 2013. The rabbi—along with vegan actress Mayim Bialik, musician Matisyahu, and author Jana Kohl—launched welfare organization The Shamayim V'Aretz Institute in 2012 as an educational center that advocates animal-rights within (and on behalf of) the Jewish community. (vegnews.com)
07/22/2017 ANIMALS SUFFERED IN 3.94 MILLION BRITISH EXPERIMENTS IN 2016
The Home Office’s Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2016 report paints a damning picture of animal experimentation in the UK last year. The document reveals that 3.94 million procedures were carried out last year. The animals who are poisoned, drugged, mutilated, and killed in British laboratories all feel pain and fear, just like we do, but experimenters continue to treat them as disposable tools rather than intelligent, sensitive beings. Scientific evidence shows that fundamental differences between humans and animals mean we’re studying the wrong species when we experiment on other animals. We won’t cure diabetes by genetically engineering mice. We won’t prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by implanting electrodes into monkeys’ brains. And we won’t stop the devastating impact of heart disease by cutting open dogs’ chests. The past quarter century has seen a revolution in animal-free science. Instead of continuing to use methods from the early 1900s, we must turn to sophisticated techniques – such as three-dimensional human skin cultures, organs-on-chips, and high-speed computer models – that can predict far more accurately what will happen in humans than experiments on animals do. (peta.org.uk)
07/21/2017 PAMELA ANDERSON GETS "FATTEST CITY" MAYOR TO GO VEGAN
Jackson, MS mayor Chokwe Lumumba has pledged to go vegan for one month. Earlier this week, vegan actress and activist Pamela Anderson penned a letter to Lumumba urging him to ditch animal products for at least one month. Jackson was recently named the “Fattest City in America” by finance company WalletHub and Anderson took this distinction as an opportunity to ask mayor Lumumba—who expressed he wanted to make Jackson “the most radical city on the planet"—to set an example for the city’s residents. “Vegan eating has been linked to a lower body mass index and lower caloric intake than diets that are heavy in meat, eggs, and dairy foods,” Anderson wrote. “Vegans are also at lower risk of suffering from obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, which are some of the biggest killers in this country.” The actress pointed to several local restaurants in Jackson that serve vegan dishes and told the mayor that if he adopted a vegan diet for just one month, animal-rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals would foot the bill for a week of vegan lunches for Lumumba and his staff. The mayor responded to the letter positively and has even challenged the state's governor, Phil Bryant, to adopt a vegan diet as well. (vegnews.com)
07/20/2017 THE HOME DEPOT PROHIBITS GLUE TRAPS IN ITS STORES
During discussions between PETA and The Home Depot regarding the company’s sale of glue traps—products that cause immense suffering to small mammals and birds who tear off parts of their faces and limbs trying to escape over hours or days—a Home Depot employee found a mouse suffering in a glue trap inside one of its own stores. After witnessing firsthand how animals suffer as they struggle in the traps’ adhesive, The Home Depot decided to prohibit the use of glue traps in its more than 2,200 stores nationwide. Mice, songbirds, squirrels, and other small animals end up in glue traps, where they tear their flesh and break bones struggling to escape. Some even chew off their own limbs in an attempt to free themselves. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns against the use of glue traps because animals who are caught in them lose control of their bodily functions as they struggle to escape. It can take days for trapped animals to die from exhaustion, injury, shock, dehydration, asphyxiation, or blood loss. (peta.org)
07/19/2017 BRAZIL WILL SERVE 5 MILLION VEGAN SCHOOL LUNCHES
Officials in three cities in Brazil—Várzea Grande, Cuiabá, and Sao Gonçalo—have committed to serving one plant-based meal per week at city-run schools under the Alimentação Consciente Brasil (“Conscious Eating Brasil”) food policy program initiated by animal-rights organization Mercy For Animals (MFA). Officials in Cuiabá also agreed to implement the food policy in city-run social assistance programs. According to MFA, the change will amount to 5 million vegan meals served in the country per year (or 140,000 vegan meals every week). Veganism is growing quickly in Brazil, a country traditionally known for consuming and producing high amounts of meat. Gustavo Guadagnini, the Brazilian director of non-profit organization Good Food Institute, recently reported that plant-based companies in the country are increasing at a rate of 40 percent annually. (vegnews.com)
07/18/2017 CANADA'S NEW DRAFT FOOD GUIDE ELIMINATES DAIRY AS A FOOD GROUP
The Canadian government has issued new draft healthy eating recommendations, which would overhaul the antiquated system of food categories—focusing instead on eating patterns—and emphasize the importance of including a "high proportion of plant-based foods." The milk category is gone in the draft recommendations, and the powerhouse legume has been elevated above animal foods. The draft food guide's first, foundational recommendation establishes the importance of whole foods and specifies that plant-based foods (such as legumes) are a preferred source of protein. The recommendation is for "regular intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and protein-rich foods, especially plant-based sources of protein." There's no more dairy food group, a win not only for public health but also cultural inclusivity, given that up to 90 percent of some non-European ethnicities are lactose intolerant. Instead, the guidelines will sensibly advise people to drink water. (huffingtonpost.com)
07/17/2017 AIR INDIA WILL SERVE ONLY VEGETARIAN MEALS
After considering cost-cutting measures, Air India announced it had stopped serving non-vegetarian meals in the economy section on all domestic flights. This is not the first time state-owned Air India has decided to serve only meatless meals. Last year the airline began serving only vegetarian food on all domestic flights lasting less than 90 minutes. By cutting meat from domestic flights, the airline could save more than $160,000. But cost isn’t the only factor. The airline has seen an increase in demand for vegetarian options, so eliminating meat would also reduce the amount of wasted food. Airline officials also mentioned that many people are health conscious and prefer vegetarian options. While Air India’s new policy is a great move to cut costs and provide healthy options to its passengers, serving only vegetarian meals will also save countless animals from immense suffering. (mercyforanimals.org)
07/14/2017 ARGENTINIAN PRESIDENT INSTITUTES VEGAN MONDAYS
Last week, Argentina’s Casa Rosada (the equivalent of the White House in the United States) announced its commitment to strictly serving vegan food on Mondays. The 554 employees of the Casa Rosada, including President Mauricio Macri, decided to exclude animal products from their diets one day per week to benefit the environment and for the purpose of starting a conversation about the health issues surrounding the high meat-diets of Argentine citizens. “The only thing that will defend us from an unhealthy diet will be behavioral changes in the way we eat,” Argentina’s Secretary General Fernando de Andreis explained. “The purpose is to trigger a conversation about our food, our health, and begin to change our diet.” Politicians worldwide— including former US President Barack Obama, who linked meat consumption with increased greenhouse gas emissions during his speech at the Seed & Chips Global Food Innovation Summit this May—are recognizing the devastating effects of animal agriculture. (vegnews.com)
07/13/2017 MILEY CYRUS: IF YOU EAT MEAT, YOU DON'T LOVE ANIMALS
We all know that Miley Cyrus is an animal-loving pop star, who makes it a point to share her philosophy towards veganism whenever she can, but her new Instagram post on the matter is causing quite the stir. The pop star took to the social media realm to make a bold statement. "If you choose to eat meat .... you love PETS not ANIMALS," the 24-year-old chart-topper captioned side-by-side shots of a dog and cow alongside the hashtags #loveanimalsdonteatthem and #vegan. Later in the weekend, Miley took her love for veganism to the next level by sharing her new tattoo devoted to the lifestyle. Located on her tricep, the star's new ink is a sunflower with a V stemming from the bottom of it. (957thejet.iheart.com)
07/12/2017 WHAT THE HEALTH WILL TURN EVERY MEAT-LOVER VEGAN
The documentary What The Health, directed by Kip Andersen, explores the damaging effects eating meat has on our bodies. The show will make you question everything you thought you knew about a healthy diet. Kip’s documentary centers around a number of studies, including the proven link between red/processed meat and cancer. Kip claims he managed to prove a direct link between big health organizations like American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and American Diabetes Association, and sponsorship from the very industries which are causing these health problems, like processed meat giants. He follows patients battling debilitating illnesses like diabetes and documents their progress after switching to an all-plant diet. The entire documentary is as enthralling as it is eye-opening. (metro.co.uk)
07/11/2017 COWS HAVE BEST FRIENDS!
Research done by Krista McLennan of Northampton University indicates that cows do indeed have 'best friends'. For the study, cows were penned for 30 minute intervals twice, once with a preferred partner, a 'best friend', and once with a cow that they did not know. During this time, the heart rates of the cows were measured. As it turned out, when paired with their best friend, the cows’ heart rates were significantly lower and they experienced less stress overall. These findings not only have implications for the dairy industry, but also for the well-being of the animals. The notion that cows have best friends indicates a great degree of personality in the species, and a desire, not unlike our own, to develop deep connections with others. Not only are cows more calm when they’re around a buddy, but they’re actually smarter too. In a 2014 study, researchers from the University of British Columbia found that young calves that live alone perform worse on tasks of cognitive skill than those that live with a buddy. Both studies indicate the benefits of long-term social connection in cows. (plantbasednews.org)
07/10/2017 PETA ACTIVISTS PROTEST TORTURE OF BULLS IN PAMPLONA
Around 100 supporters of PETA and AnimaNaturalis gathered in the centre of Pamplona, Spain, ahead of the Running of the Bulls. With “Stop Bullfights” emblazoned in black paint on their nearly naked bodies, their message was clear. The activists snapped banderilla props filled with powdered red paint above their heads, filling the sky with a cloud of “blood”. As the “blood” settled, they held up signs in English and Spanish with a reminder for festival-goers: “Bulls Die a Bloody Death in Pamplona”.Banderillas are bright sticks with a harpoon point on the end which bullfighters drive into the bull’s back, neck, and other body parts in the bullring. Once he’s weakened and exhausted – blood pouring from his wounds – the matador stabs him with a sword. The matador‘s aim is often inaccurate, and if the sword pierces the bull’s lungs instead of his heart, it can cause him to drown in his own blood. Should the matador fail to kill him, an executioner enters the ring to cut his spinal cord with a dagger, before he’s chained and dragged out of the arena – often paralysed but still conscious. Many tourists don’t realise that the bulls who are forced to run through Pamplona’s streets are the same ones who will later be tortured and killed in the bullring. (peta.org)
07/08/2017 PRESTIGIOUS FRENCH FOOD AWARD GIVEN TO VEGAN CHEF
For the first time ever, a plant-based chef has won the title of 'maître restaurateur', for his restaurant Vegan Gorilla in France. The eatery, in Nice, describes itself as 'vegan, bio and gluten-free'. It uses organic and sustainable produce. Dishes include fishless fishermen's stew, mushroom-based kefta over couscous, and strawberry cheesecake - as well as more traditional French-style meals like 'fauxmage' (vegan cheese) tartines. The title 'maître restaurateur', which is reviewed every four years, is awarded to someone who is a professional chef by trade and has professional experience. The chef must work with fresh, raw produce. It is judged by an independent committee, then awarded by local representatives (on behalf of the French state). Berton, who came up with the idea of the restaurant with his vegan wife, worked in mainstream restaurants for two decades before committing to cooking plant-based food. (plantbasednews.org)
07/07/2017 SICKENING UNDERCOVER PIG FARM FOOTAGE
Undercover footage taken by animal charity Viva! of Hogwood Farm in Warwickshire is distressing to watch - showing pigs eating the corpses of other pigs and others clearly in pain. Viva! founder Juliet Gellatley claims the conditions at Hogwood Farm - owned by Brian Hobill - are some of the worst she has ever seen. Gellatley said: "Hogwood hides a catalogue of pain and suffering. Pigs were so tightly crammed into a disgustingly dirty industrial unit that it was hard to walk through them. Many were covered in lacerations and all were smeared in filth. In another shed, pigs were kept in groups in bare concrete cells with slatted wooden gangways. There was the cynical addition of a chain with plastic sheathing for biting hung limply, its novelty value long gone. This is to meet the government’s pathetic recommendations on ‘environmental enrichment’! No straw, no bedding, just harsh, soiled floors, concrete walls and a life filled with utter boredom, frustration and no outlet for those active, intelligent, inquisitive minds." (plantbasednews.org)
07/06/2017 UK GETS ITS FIRST ORGANIC VEGAN RECIPE BOXES
Vegan recipe box company Plant Curious debuted as the first organic, plant-based service of its kind in the UK on Monday. Husband-and-wife team, Woj and Angela Gawor, founded the health-conscious company to continue the legacy of Angela's father Richard—who was diagnosed with cancer and chose to fight the disease with plant-based foods in lieu of medication. The couple believes that plant-based foods should not be relegated to a side dish and hopes that Plant Curious helps customers put them at the center of meals. Currently, the company is selling a limited number of 100 boxes to customers in the UK and has plans to expand its distribution to Germany and Poland within the next two months. (vegnews.com)
07/05/2017 AUSTRALIA PROPOSES BAN ON COSMETIC ANIMAL TESTING
Last week, a new bill was proposed by the Australian House of Representatives to ban the testing of chemicals used for cosmetics on animals. If enacted, the bill will make it illegal to test ingredients—or whole products such as shampoo, soap, deodorant, and perfumes—on animals after July 1, 2018. "The ban delivered through this bill will bring Australia into line with the European Union and other countries, introducing a ban on cosmetic testing on animals," Australia's Federal Assistant Minister for Health David Gillespie said. The new code of practice—entitled National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme—would encourage the country's cosmetics manufacturers use more human-relevant testing methods, an approach already adopted by many nations around the world including India, Taiwan, and The Netherlands. (vegnews.com)
07/04/2017 THREE VEGAN SUPERMARKETS OPEN IN PARIS
Last week, French supermarket chain Naturalia simultaneously opened three all-vegan markets across Paris. The supermarket became the first vegan-dedicated store in the country and carries more than 2,000 animal-free organic food, beauty, and lifestyle products. The three new stores are converted versions of the original Naturalia markets—of which there are current 150 nationwide with 20 more planned for 2017—and are branded as "Naturalia Vegan." The market joins a growing number of all-vegan retailers sprouting worldwide. London welcomed its first vegan supermarket, GreenBay, in May, one month after the world's largest vegan retailer (The Cruelty Free Shop) opened its doors in Australia. (vegnews.com)
07/03/2017 LUSH COSMETICS TO MAKE ITS CONTAINERS FROM OCEAN TRASH
Last week, Lush Cosmetics partnered with materials manufacturer Urban Resource Group (URG) to turn plastic waste sourced from the ocean into cosmetic containers. Motivated by a harrowing prediction—that by 2050, plastic in the oceans will outweigh fish—Lush collected 25 tons of plastic from the ocean in six months from the shores of Vancouver Island in Canada, with the help of environmental group Ocean Legacy Foundation. URG was able to repurpose the plastic into eco-friendly packaging that will be used by Lush. The vegan-friendly company has previously taken strong stances against animal testing in the beauty industry. (vegnews.com)
The number of news found: 25.
