Jessica Scott-Reid

3 weeks ago | sentientmedia.org | Jessica Scott-Reid

For decades, the meat industry has been attempting to thwart undercover investigations with so-called “ag-gag laws,” state laws that criminalize the unauthorized recording of livestock farm operations. One way investigators have persisted, however, is with the use of drone technology, which can enable investigators to document conditions on farms that may not align with the claims on the label.

4 weeks ago | sentientmedia.org | Jessica Scott-Reid

Now that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has kicked off his Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA Commission, food system advocates are wondering which of his ideas will come to fruition. One promise was to revamp the food system with a plan to “reverse 80 years of farming policy.” But what exactly would it mean for the average American to eat like we did in the 1940s? Experts tell Sentient the reality was not as idyllic as Kennedy and his supporters might believe.

1 month ago | sentientmedia.org | Jessica Scott-Reid

Podcaster Joe Rogan may have helped make meat cool again, but his preferred way of eating — the Carnivore Diet — is nothing new. It’s not meant to be; its core tenant is that humans thrive from eating how our primitive ancestors ate. High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets have peeked in and out of pop culture continuously over the last 50 years, each time rebranding and rebuilding upon fads of the past.

1 month ago | corporateknights.com | Jessica Scott-Reid

Consumer surveys show that the majority of North Americans care about the welfare of animals on farms. And meat producers have taken note, slapping terms such as “humanely raised” and “high animal welfare” on the items that fill the meat aisle of your local grocer. But seeking out products from animals believed to have been raised using more humane methods means navigating a complex landscape of labels, with inconsistent definitions and weak oversight.

1 month ago | sentientmedia.org | Jessica Scott-Reid

Trends focused on living and eating more “naturally” are becoming increasingly popular — off-the-grid, online and in politics. This shift, embraced in some right-leaning circles, rejects industrial agriculture’s influence on food systems in favor of so-called “crunchy” ideals. From homesteading to organic farming, raw milk to backyard eggs, the trend toward traditional living may seek simplicity and nostalgia.