Executive summary: This exploratory post argues that effective animal advocacy must treat farmers as potential allies rather than adversaries, since their decisions are driven less by attitudes toward animal welfare and more by economic, social, and cultural factors, and collaboration with them could be pivotal for advancing meat reduction and farm transitions.
Key points:
Farmers often acknowledge animal sentience but frame welfare in practical, productivity-centered terms; intensified production pressures reinforce this instrumental view.
Many farmers experience emotional strain and mental health challenges around slaughter but suppress or normalize these feelings due to social norms.
Attitudes toward welfare rarely translate into practice change — economic viability is the strongest driver of farmers’ decisions about herd sizes, welfare upgrades, or transitions.
Transition initiatives (like Transfarmation) succeed when they ease financial risks, and government funding (e.g. Dutch transition programs) can make these shifts more feasible.
Beyond money, identity, land suitability, and cultural ties to animal farming are major barriers; climate change awareness may offer a promising entry point for coalition-building.
Advocates should invest in supporting farmer transitions, lobbying for farmer-inclusive policies, and conducting more rigorous research (especially quantitative and messaging-focused) to strengthen outreach and collaboration.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.
Executive summary: This exploratory post argues that effective animal advocacy must treat farmers as potential allies rather than adversaries, since their decisions are driven less by attitudes toward animal welfare and more by economic, social, and cultural factors, and collaboration with them could be pivotal for advancing meat reduction and farm transitions.
Key points:
Farmers often acknowledge animal sentience but frame welfare in practical, productivity-centered terms; intensified production pressures reinforce this instrumental view.
Many farmers experience emotional strain and mental health challenges around slaughter but suppress or normalize these feelings due to social norms.
Attitudes toward welfare rarely translate into practice change — economic viability is the strongest driver of farmers’ decisions about herd sizes, welfare upgrades, or transitions.
Transition initiatives (like Transfarmation) succeed when they ease financial risks, and government funding (e.g. Dutch transition programs) can make these shifts more feasible.
Beyond money, identity, land suitability, and cultural ties to animal farming are major barriers; climate change awareness may offer a promising entry point for coalition-building.
Advocates should invest in supporting farmer transitions, lobbying for farmer-inclusive policies, and conducting more rigorous research (especially quantitative and messaging-focused) to strengthen outreach and collaboration.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.