Litigation and Its Impact on Agriculture
Farmers and ranchers dedicate their lives to providing safe, sustainable, and nutritious food. Yet, agriculture faces increasing legal challenges from activist-led organizations. Chief among them is the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), a group that uses litigation, lobbying, and public campaigns against animal agriculture. Founded in 1979, the ALDF claims its work is about protecting animals and consumers; however, its past President, the late Steven Wise, founder of the NonHuman Rights Project, was heavily influenced by animal liberationist Peter Singer. Their website states, “Steve’s contribution to the animal rights movement is truly immeasurable. And while we mourn the passing of this exceptional human, the Animal Legal Defense Fund will endeavor to honor Steve’s legacy by continuing to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system.”
Major Court Battles
The ALDF relies on litigation, often suing in federal courts and intervening in high-profile cases to advance its agenda. The impact of ALDF’s litigation strategy is immediate and costly. This could mean increasing compliance obligations and continuing litigation risk for producers. According to their website, the ALDF has engaged in 56 lawsuits in 19 states and has filed 32 Federal cases. Below are some examples of the types of lawsuits they have filed that impact animal agriculture.
Proposition 12
Because Proposition 12 applies to all egg, pork, and veal products sold in California, the law affects out-of-state producers nationwide. Other states have adopted similar laws, increasing compliance costs, especially for pork and egg producers. The ALDF has played a leading role in defending California’s Proposition 12 in the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to revisit the case in June 2025, leaving Prop 12 in place.
Labeling Terms
States such as Missouri and Arkansas have worked to ensure words like “meat” or “burger” are only used for products from slaughtered animals. The ALDF challenged these laws as violations of the First Amendment, arguing that plant-based companies should be able to use familiar food terms. Courts in Arkansas agreed and struck down the law. Missouri’s statute is still under challenge, but the precedent is clear. Agriculture is facing a fight over controlling labeling standards from companies marketing imitation foods, and those companies are getting support from the ALDF.
Lawsuits Over Ag-Gag Laws
Labeled “Ag-Gag” laws by activist groups, these laws go by other names, such as the Property Protection Act, and are passed to shield agricultural operations from trespassing, unauthorized recordings, and misrepresentation during hiring, especially when aimed at damaging producers' reputations. They may also ban the use of unattended surveillance devices. The ALDF has been active in challenging these laws that aim to protect producers.
ALDF v. Vilsack
The ALDF also sued the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) over poultry labels approved for Perdue, claiming that the outdoor imagery misled consumers, as the chickens were actually raised indoors. The Washington D.C. Circuit Court dismissed the case in 2024 for lack of standing. However, filing lawsuits over branding and imagery illustrates the ALDF’s willingness to target animal agriculture across a wide swath.
Lawsuits Against the EPA
The ALDF is also active in filing or joining environmental lawsuits targeting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Most recently, it joined a coalition of activist groups, including Food & Water Watch, Earthjustice, Waterkeeper Alliance, and the Center for Biological Diversity, in challenging the rollback of proposed effluent rules for meat processors. These rules were abandoned after the EPA determined that the law standards remain sufficient. While activist groups portray the decision as a corporate giveaway, agricultural leaders have emphasized that the rollback was essential to keeping small and mid-sized processors viable, protecting thousands of jobs, and preventing higher food prices for consumers. By aligning with like-minded organizations that openly seek to dismantle animal agriculture, the ALDF demonstrates a broader strategy: leveraging environmental law as a weapon to restrict livestock production.
Why It Matters
The growing litigation activities of animal rights groups underscores why agriculture cannot afford to remain passive in the face of relentless legal pressure. These lawsuits are not isolated skirmishes; they are part of a broader campaign aimed at eroding animal agriculture. Each case sets a precedent that threatens not only producers but also the stability of rural communities and the integrity of our food supply. While the ALDF is the most prominent, it is not the only animal rights group that engages in lawsuits, there are many others, for example, Humane World for Animals (formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States – HSUS), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the NonHuman Rights Project (NhRP), Animal Welfare Institute, and Legal Impact for Chickens (we recently wrote about this group) and more. That is why agricultural leaders, policymakers, and the public must recognize the stakes and stand together in defense of science-based, proven, and responsible production practices.
Protecting and advocating for agriculture is about more than defending livelihoods; it is about ensuring that future generations continue to have access to abundant, affordable, and nutritious food grown with care here at home.
Links
AGPROfessionals Article: Protecting Farmers: Laws Against Deceptive Employment by Activists HERE
AGPROfessionals Article: Cell Based Meat Bans HERE
MeatingPlace Article: Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Slaughterhouse Rule HERE
MeatingPlace Article: EPA Rejects Additional Wastewater Rules for Meat and Poultry Plants HERE
MeatingPlace Article: National Pork Producers Council Backs Bill to Block Prop 12 HERE
Article: What's Next for Proposition 12 HERE
Article about the Arkansas Court blocking meat label law HERE
AGPROfessionals Article: California Prop 12 - A Coordinated Attack on Animal Agriculture HERE
AGPROfessionals Article: Shareholder Lawsuits: The Latest Front in the Animal Rights Campaign Against Agriculture HERE
AGPROfessionals Article: Eleven State Attorneys General Unite to Defend Truth-in-Labeling for American Beef HERE
AGPROfessionals Article: Federal Court Upholds EPA’s Farm Emissions Reporting Exemption: A Win for Animal Agriculture and Common-Sense Regulation HERE
AGPROfessionals Article: Defending the Integrity of Real Food HERE
AGPROfessionals Article: Understanding the Ninth Circuit's Decision on CAFO Regulations HERE