BLOG: Yesterday we brought you news of Red Tractor has re-certifing a farm that featured in a Panorama documentary about abuse against cows in the dairy industry here in the UK, today we celebrate the day of supreme cognitive dissonance that is ‘Cow Appreciation Day’ in the US. Claire Hamlett reports.

Red Tractor has recertified the Welsh dairy farm that was featured in an episode of BBC’s investigative program Panorama in February, which showed footage of workers horrifically and illegally abusing the cows.

Too few farmers are transitioning to agricultural practices that are better for biodiversity, soil health and the climate, and “cognitive lock-ins” are to blame, says a new study. But there are ways to overcome these lock-ins, and they could also help farmers transition from livestock to plant agriculture, writes Claire Hamlett.

It’s not the government’s place to “lecture” people on what to eat, is it? This is the justification ministers have offered to explain why the government’s new Food Strategy fails to include any measures to cut national meat consumption in line with recommendations from Henry Dimbleby’s government-commissioned review of the UK’s food system last year.

VOICES: Mike Francis reviews the scientific research conducted into the biology of slaughter to put paid to the misguided belief that there can ever be such a thing as the humane killing of farmed animals.

Falling wool prices are pushing farmers towards naturally shedding sheep as they ditch the material - exposing holes in their argument that shearing the animals was always motivated by concern for the animals.

BREAKING NEWS: Animal rights activists have this morning scaled the roof of a livestock auction in Darlington, UK, the venue for today’s flagship National Beef Association 2022 Expo.

WEEKEND READ: Surge co-director Ed Winters recently debated the director of NFU Scotland on STV on the negative impacts of animal agriculture. Aside from Kennedy’s bare-faced lies about welfare, he made a curious claim that trees make methane too. Is this the ‘gotcha’ against rewilding he hoped it would be?

NEWS: First VR slaughterhouse robots, now methane masks to capture cow burps receive funding from the Prince of Wales. It’s yet another bizarre day in the weird world of meat industry technology.

DEBATE: With Earth Day coming up this week, Claire Hamlett reports on the first panel discussion held by Viva! Farming in which the future of sustainable farming - animal-free or not? - was discussed. Panellists included veganic farmer Iain Tolhurst, animal welfare expert Professor Andrew Knight and ProVeg Vice President Jasmijn de Boo.

Following multiple investigations into Britain's biggest duck producer, Gressingham Foods, Animal Justice Project has launched a new campaign with one aim - to bring an end to duck farming in the UK. Ayrton Cooper, Campaigns Manager at AJP, tells us how they’ll be putting extra pressure on an already dwindling industry.

SPECIAL REPORT: With Russia and Ukraine exporting much of the world’s wheat and maize, food security has become one of the most pressing international issues to arise from the crisis. Claire Hamlett brings together a comprehensive range of analyses to explain how players within the agricultural industries are seeking to take advantage of the uncertainty.