Martin Gould
@martinvgould.bsky.social
Working on farm animal welfare research and grants at Open Philanthropy🐔📈 Views my own. Interested in economics, policy and bouldering
Read more here: albert-schweitzer-stiftung.de/aktuell/hal...
Was taugen die Haltungskennzeichen? • Albert Schweitzer Stiftung für unsere Mitwelt
Unsere Einschätzung der staatlichen Tierhaltungskennzeichnung und der Haltungsform-Kennzeichnung der Supermärkte.
albert-schweitzer-stiftung.de
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Read more here: albert-schweitzer-stiftung.de/aktuell/hal...
Ultimately though, these systems are a huge step forward in consumer education and allow advocates to push companies to improve with a framework those companies already understand
And they lay the groundwork for a public policy solution, which covers all farm animals
And they lay the groundwork for a public policy solution, which covers all farm animals
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Ultimately though, these systems are a huge step forward in consumer education and allow advocates to push companies to improve with a framework those companies already understand
And they lay the groundwork for a public policy solution, which covers all farm animals
And they lay the groundwork for a public policy solution, which covers all farm animals
These type of labeling systems are a good start, but there’s still plenty of room to strengthen them
In Germany, important stages (e.g. slaughter) and common painful practices (tail docking, crates, etc.) fall outside the system. And breeding needs more prominence
In Germany, important stages (e.g. slaughter) and common painful practices (tail docking, crates, etc.) fall outside the system. And breeding needs more prominence
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
These type of labeling systems are a good start, but there’s still plenty of room to strengthen them
In Germany, important stages (e.g. slaughter) and common painful practices (tail docking, crates, etc.) fall outside the system. And breeding needs more prominence
In Germany, important stages (e.g. slaughter) and common painful practices (tail docking, crates, etc.) fall outside the system. And breeding needs more prominence
The Netherlands has seen something similar with its Beter Leven label: once retailers align on a shared welfare framework, farmers get clearer signals and more certainty to invest, and higher-welfare products slowly increase market share
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The Netherlands has seen something similar with its Beter Leven label: once retailers align on a shared welfare framework, farmers get clearer signals and more certainty to invest, and higher-welfare products slowly increase market share
Higher-welfare tiers (HF3–5) have also been edging upward over time
2024→2025 alone:
• HF3–5 are up ~2.1 percentage points
• HF1–2 are down ~2.4 points combined
Not huge jumps — but they match the longer-term pattern of steady, incremental movement
2024→2025 alone:
• HF3–5 are up ~2.1 percentage points
• HF1–2 are down ~2.4 points combined
Not huge jumps — but they match the longer-term pattern of steady, incremental movement
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Higher-welfare tiers (HF3–5) have also been edging upward over time
2024→2025 alone:
• HF3–5 are up ~2.1 percentage points
• HF1–2 are down ~2.4 points combined
Not huge jumps — but they match the longer-term pattern of steady, incremental movement
2024→2025 alone:
• HF3–5 are up ~2.1 percentage points
• HF1–2 are down ~2.4 points combined
Not huge jumps — but they match the longer-term pattern of steady, incremental movement
Since the system launched in 2019, the lowest tier (HF1) has been shrinking across multiple chains. Some of the biggest retailers now plan to reach 0% HF1 for fresh meat by the end of 2025
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Since the system launched in 2019, the lowest tier (HF1) has been shrinking across multiple chains. Some of the biggest retailers now plan to reach 0% HF1 for fresh meat by the end of 2025
The model is proven. Other high-impact problems are waiting for this kind of catalytic philanthropy: www.alliancemagazine.org/feature/fun...
Funding insights from the cage-free movement - Alliance magazine
On a budget smaller than the latest Spiderman movie and using strategies that barely existed before the mid-2000s, a small group of activists have spared the lives of over half a billion animals from the …
www.alliancemagazine.org
December 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The model is proven. Other high-impact problems are waiting for this kind of catalytic philanthropy: www.alliancemagazine.org/feature/fun...
5/ Results: 3,000+ commitments; 92% follow through. >500M chickens out of cages, US cage-free rate up from 10%->45%. Few major food companies still defend cages
December 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
5/ Results: 3,000+ commitments; 92% follow through. >500M chickens out of cages, US cage-free rate up from 10%->45%. Few major food companies still defend cages
4/ We tracked costs per hen affected and campaign success rates, but avoided over-relying on metrics
Some wins matter more for narrative shift than immediate numbers. Early-stage work (investigations, small campaigns) opens doors for later scale
Some wins matter more for narrative shift than immediate numbers. Early-stage work (investigations, small campaigns) opens doors for later scale
December 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
4/ We tracked costs per hen affected and campaign success rates, but avoided over-relying on metrics
Some wins matter more for narrative shift than immediate numbers. Early-stage work (investigations, small campaigns) opens doors for later scale
Some wins matter more for narrative shift than immediate numbers. Early-stage work (investigations, small campaigns) opens doors for later scale
3/ Some lessons from the funder perspective as this work scaled-up:
* Be pragmatic (focus on worst practices we can plausibly eliminate)
* Fund collaborative infrastructure
* Stage-appropriate funding (testing → scaling → enforcement)
* Clear impact metrics
* Be pragmatic (focus on worst practices we can plausibly eliminate)
* Fund collaborative infrastructure
* Stage-appropriate funding (testing → scaling → enforcement)
* Clear impact metrics
December 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
3/ Some lessons from the funder perspective as this work scaled-up:
* Be pragmatic (focus on worst practices we can plausibly eliminate)
* Fund collaborative infrastructure
* Stage-appropriate funding (testing → scaling → enforcement)
* Clear impact metrics
* Be pragmatic (focus on worst practices we can plausibly eliminate)
* Fund collaborative infrastructure
* Stage-appropriate funding (testing → scaling → enforcement)
* Clear impact metrics
2/ In the early 2000s, activists exposed battery cage conditions through undercover investigations
By 2016, a few small orgs with minimal staff convinced Kroger, Walmart, McDonald's, and Starbucks to go cage-free
Then larg funders stepped in to support
By 2016, a few small orgs with minimal staff convinced Kroger, Walmart, McDonald's, and Starbucks to go cage-free
Then larg funders stepped in to support
December 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
2/ In the early 2000s, activists exposed battery cage conditions through undercover investigations
By 2016, a few small orgs with minimal staff convinced Kroger, Walmart, McDonald's, and Starbucks to go cage-free
Then larg funders stepped in to support
By 2016, a few small orgs with minimal staff convinced Kroger, Walmart, McDonald's, and Starbucks to go cage-free
Then larg funders stepped in to support
An insight into how much of the industry thinks about the animals in their care
Link: link.springer.com/article/10....
Link: link.springer.com/article/10....
Feed quantitative restriction effect on performance, carcass quality, blood parameters and immunity of broiler chickens
Veterinary Research Communications - This study investigated the effects of early-age, short-term quantitative feed restriction followed by compensatory refeeding with energy and protein-dense...
link.springer.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:29 PM
An insight into how much of the industry thinks about the animals in their care
Link: link.springer.com/article/10....
Link: link.springer.com/article/10....
Chart from here: go.mercyforanimals.org/l/939853/20...
November 5, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Chart from here: go.mercyforanimals.org/l/939853/20...
This lolsob via Vasile Stănescu via Seth Ariel Green's great blog:
October 31, 2025 at 11:56 AM
This lolsob via Vasile Stănescu via Seth Ariel Green's great blog:
