Farmed Animal Reports

The Animal Welfare Institute prepares comprehensive papers on topics related to the welfare of animals used in agriculture. Each of the following reports is available as a downloadable PDF.

Current

Humane Slaughter Update: Federal and State Oversight of the Welfare of Farm Animals at Slaughter (fifth edition)April 2025
Barn Fires: A Deadly Threat to Farmed Animals (third edition)January 2025
Enforcement of State Farm Animal Welfare Laws (second edition)June 2024
The Welfare of Birds at Slaughter (fourth edition)December 2023
Deceptive Consumer Labels: How the USDA's Failure to Oversee its Label Approval Program Allows the Meat Industry to Co-Opt Humane and Sustainable ClaimsMarch 2023
Custom-Exempt Slaughter: A License to Neglect and Abuse Farm AnimalsJanuary 2023
A Review: The Twenty-Eight Hour Law and Its EnforcementJune 2022
The Critical Relationship Between Farm Animal Health and WelfareApril 2018
Animal Welfare in the National Organic Program: The USDA Must Act Quickly to Protect Millions of AnimalsAugust 2017
USDA Gives Producers Free Rein Over “Free Range” Product LabelsDecember 2015

Archival

Barn Fires: A Deadly Threat to Farm Animals (second edition)January 2022
Humane Slaughter Update: Federal and State Oversight of the Welfare of Farm Animals at Slaughter (fourth edition)April 2020
The Welfare of Birds at Slaughter (third edition)November 2020
Enforcement of State Farm Animal Welfare LawsMarch 2020
Label Confusion 2.0: How the USDA Allows Producers to Use “Humane” and “Sustainable” Claims on Meat Packages and Deceive ConsumersSeptember 2019
Barn Fires: A Deadly Threat to Farm AnimalsOctober 2018
The Welfare of Birds at Slaughter: 2017 UpdateNovember 2017
Humane Slaughter Update: Federal and State Oversight of the Welfare of Farm Animals at Slaughter (third edition) April 2017
The Welfare of Birds at Slaughter in the United StatesApril 2016
Label Confusion: How “Humane” and “Sustainable” Claims on Meat Packages Deceive ConsumersMay 2014
Humanewashed: USDA Process Verified Program Misleads Consumers About Animal Welfare Marketing ClaimsMay 2012
Humane Slaughter Update: Comparing State & Federal Enforcement of Humane Slaughter LawsSeptember 2010
Crimes Without Consequences: The Enforcement of Humane Slaughter Laws in the United StatesMay 2008
Factory Farming: The Experiment that Failed, Volume II2008