Activist Threats Aren’t Just on the Farm Anymore
I consider myself a “foodie.” I think this word may be overused a bit, but I stand by my statement. I’m not really sure which came first – wanting to work with animals or wanting to work with food. I grew up working in restaurants and always wanted to be involved in where food came from and be a part of sharing it with others. With that, I developed a love for agriculture, and later, grocery shopping.
We are fortunate to live in a place with so many options and choices when it comes to our food selections. I enjoy strolling the produce section, meat case and dairy aisles to see what is new and innovative amongst brands. You could say that the grocery store is my happy place.
Lately, however, grocery stores have become a battleground for extremists looking to pressure retailers into removing meat, milk, poultry and eggs from their grocery store shelves. Recent trends have shown an uptick in grocery store protests, demonstrations and food tampering.
The Animal Agriculture Alliance monitors this animal rights extremism and works with experts to develop security guidance for those that need it. Animal rights extremist groups continue to target restaurant, retail and foodservice brands through pressure campaigns to express their disagreement with using animals for food.
All grocery store employees should be aware of the potential to be targeted by extremists and know how to handle potential protesters. This also applies to customers feeling pressure in the store to purchase certain items or boycott certain brands that don’t claim specific welfare compliance. For someone in the animal agriculture community, this can be disheartening to see when you know that farmers work hard to provide their animals a comfortable life, regardless of the logo or label on the package.
Shopping to feed your family can feel like your least favorite task somedays, especially when you run into activist-placed stickers claiming, “Meat Is Murder.” Another tactic we’ve seen in stores lately is the placement of flowers in meat cases to “mourn” the death of animals raised for food.
Whether you are an employee of a household name brand, the farmer raising the animals, or the consumer at the store, it’s important to be aware of these issues and tactics. Animal rights groups’ intention is to get you to stop and consider choosing something else – ideally, a vegan option.
You may be thinking that you are a little removed from this situation, which is a totally normal thought. You might not work in a grocery store or have encountered this in your local store. However, we all depend on safe, wholesome food products for our families. We can’t let extremists take control of this common space in the grocery aisles and at the meat case.
For more information, visit Animal Agriculture Alliance's website to find resources and tips like this one for preparing for a protest.
Read More:
Biosecurity and Farm Security are Closely Linked
Nutrition: The Next Activist Battleground?
4 Keys to Prevent Animal Activist Attacks in the Wake of a Disaster
