Animal Outlook‘s recent investigation into six New York “family farms” selling raw milk reveals these operations subject cows to the same cruel practices found in industrial dairy, despite marketing based on pastoral imagery and claims of superior animal welfare. Executive Director Ben Williamson shares how their undercover work exposed filthy living conditions, painful health issues, and public health risks that led to one farm being banned from selling raw milk after a campylobacter outbreak.

This episode explores:

The consistent animal welfare violations found across small “family farm” raw milk operations
Health risks associated with raw milk consumption and recent disease outbreaks
How Animal Outlook strategically selects and conducts impactful undercover investigations
Legal advocacy strategies that hold companies accountable for humane-washing claims

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Ben Williamson is the Executive Director of Animal Outlook with over a decade of experience in animal protection. Ben began his advocacy career at PETA UK, later serving as PETA’s Senior International Media Director in Los Angeles. He subsequently led programs at World Animal Protection and served as Executive Director at Compassion in World Farming USA, where he oversaw an investigation featured in the New York Times. His advocacy has earned him appearances on major networks including NBC, CNN, and Fox News, and his writing has been published in USA Today, Newsweek, and other prominent publications.

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Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series.

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