If you want to know where animal rights activism is headed next, pay attention to what activists are discussing among themselves.

I was recently asked by a food company what “brand busting” issues — or activist campaigns designed to damage a company’s reputation — they should be preparing for over the next few years. It’s a question I’m hearing more often as companies look beyond today’s headlines and try to anticipate tomorrow’s activist campaigns.

One of the best places to find those answers is at animal rights conferences.

This spring, two major conferences (the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) Animal Law Symposium and the Animal & Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit) provided an inside look at how activist organizations are refining their strategies to challenge modern animal agriculture.

While the conferences focused on different aspects of activism, both demonstrated that today’s animal rights movement extends far beyond traditional protests. Activists are increasingly combining litigation, corporate pressure campaigns, investigative tactics and strategic communications designed to influence public opinion, policymaking and business decisions.

For the meat industry, these conferences offer valuable intelligence into the issues and tactics companies may face in the months and years ahead.

Held virtually in May, ALDF’s 2026 Animal Law Symposium brought together attorneys, researchers and animal rights activists to discuss legal strategies affecting animal agriculture.

Sessions explored how recent federal court decisions and executive branch actions could reshape future litigation involving livestock production. Speakers discussed what they described as opportunities created by changing interpretations of administrative law and examined how those shifts could affect future challenges to agricultural regulations.

Conference presenters also stressed that successful litigation depends on more than legal arguments alone. Sessions highlighted the importance of research, expert witnesses, investigative reporting and carefully crafted narratives that can influence both judicial outcomes and public opinion.

The overall message was clear: Litigation continues to be viewed as one of the animal rights movement’s most valuable tools for advancing its objectives.

Just two weeks later, activists gathered in Toronto for the 2026 Animal & Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit, hosted by ProVeg International. Of particular note, this gathering of around 800 activists received over $1.6 million in “conference support” from Coefficient Giving, formerly the Open Philanthropy Project.

At the event, much of the discussion centered on how the animal rights movement should pursue its long-term goals. One of the most notable debates questioned whether incremental reforms are helping or hurting the movement.

Several speakers criticized campaigns promoting cage-free eggs and similar welfare initiatives, arguing they strengthen companies by allowing them to market improvements while maintaining existing production systems. Instead, some urged activists to focus on efforts aimed at the complete abolition of animal agriculture. Although activists differed on strategy, there was little disagreement about the movement’s ultimate objective.

The AVA Summit also underscored how corporate activism continues to evolve.

Rather than concentrating solely on company executives, speakers encouraged activists to research an organization’s entire network, including board members, investors, suppliers and business partners, to identify multiple points of influence. One panelist encouraged attendees to become “obsessed” with understanding a company’s ecosystem before launching campaigns.

Industry messaging surrounding animal welfare and sustainability also remained a major focus. Speakers argued these claims heavily influence consumer perceptions and corporate decision-making, making them a continued target for activist campaigns.

Neither conference introduced entirely new tactics. Instead, both demonstrated how activist organizations continue refining and coordinating their efforts across multiple fronts.

Legal challenges, corporate campaigns, “investigative” efforts and strategic communications are increasingly being used together to pressure companies and influence public opinion. At the same time, discussions at the AVA Summit revealed that while activists may disagree on the best path forward, many remain committed to eliminating modern animal agriculture.

If you’re wondering what the next “brand busting” campaign might look like, these conferences offer some important clues. Monitoring activist conferences isn’t about giving these organizations a larger platform; it’s about understanding how campaigns are being developed before they make headlines. Companies that stay informed are better positioned to respond with sound science, transparency and proactive communications before activist narratives take hold.

The Animal Agriculture Alliance has published detailed recaps of both conferences in our Member Resource Center, providing members with additional insight into the trends in today’s animal rights movement.

Link to article HERE.