Harshdeep Singh

50% Farm Animal Welfare @coeff_giving
50% tree wizard

[Michelle Lavery @JMichelleLavery]

I’m launching a $7M RFP for humane fish slaughter tech via @coeff_giving
Over 100 billion farmed fish are slaughtered yearly. We think only ~0.5% are reliably stunned beforehand. For the trillion+ wild-caught fish, most suffocate slowly in air or low-oxygen water. 🧵
🎥@WeAnimals

[Alexander Berger @albrgr]

Some news: Open Philanthropy is now Coefficient Giving! Our mission is unchanged but the new name reflects our growing work with other donors to multiply the impact of their giving.

🧵 on our work to make philanthropy a more efficient "market" and plans going forward:

[Lewis Bollard @Lewis_Bollard]

A big new threat to animals and all of us who care about them: the EU may be about to break its promise to end cages for Europe's 200 million+ caged pigs, rabbits, and hens. This must be stopped. Here's the background:

In 2021, the @EU_Commission promised to ban all cages and crates in response to a petition by 1.4M Europeans. It then asked its official scientific veterinary advisors, who agreed the cages are inhumane. And it surveyed Europeans, >85% of who backed the move.

Then the factory farm lobby got to work. In 2023, they got the Commission to delay its promised cage ban because it needed more time for "consultation." The Commission then spent 2 years consulting with industry. At the end, it reiterated its promise to ban the cages.

Over the last two years, the EU's Animal Welfare Commissioner @OliverVarhelyi has repeatedly promised that the Commission will propose a cage ban in 2026, next year. Even as he's refused to meet with more than one animal welfare group (he's met with dozens of industry groups), he's insisted that advocates have nothing to worry about -- his word can be trusted. Just a few weeks ago, the Commission opened a public consultation -- still open -- on how to ban the cages.

Then, this week, Euractiv obtained a leak of the EU Commission's work plan of all its planned work for next year. It doesn't contain the promised cage ban at all. The rumor is that this was a last-minute deletion pushed by Varhelyi himself -- the Commissioner who's meant to be safeguarding animal welfare.

If true, this is a shocking betrayal of Europe's animals -- and the >85% of Europeans who want better for them. The only reason to scrap this proposal is because animal ag lobbyists don't like it. And if it's true that Varhelyi is leading this, then only his bosses -- @RoxanaMinzatu and @vonderleyen can stop this.

This is an all-hands on deck moment for European advocates. Contact your MEPs, your ministers of agriculture, and the Commission itself. Animals get betrayed like this because they can't lobby for themselves. We need to be their advocates.

[Lewis Bollard @Lewis_Bollard]

One day humanity will end factory farming. When it does, our descendants will look back and wonder how we ever tolerated it.

They'll wonder how a generation who loved animals -- and hated animal cruelty -- failed to stop the worst abuse of animals in history.

[Kurzgesagt @Kurz_Gesagt]

Most of us love animals – but also eat meat. Unfortunately, most animals we eat live in horrible conditions, not for better meat, just for cheaper meat. Watch our latest video to see how little it takes to still eat meat but minimize animal suffering: https://t.co/4s399503G1

[Our World in Data @OurWorldInData]

More land animals than ever before are slaughtered for meat—

Global livestock numbers — tracked by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization since 1961 — have surged, with particularly large increases in the number of chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, and cows.

For many land animals, life is short and painful. Recent estimates indicate that globally, most animals are raised on factory farms. In the US, where better data and research are available, 99% of livestock is factory-farmed.

(This Daily Data Insight was written by @S_VanTeutem.)

[Lewis Bollard @Lewis_Bollard]

I'm very grateful for all the advocates fighting for factory-farmed animals -- and winning.

And nothing says gratitude like money. So, this year-end, here are a few animal groups I'm donating to.

(Not a complete list: there are many other great groups working for animals.)

[The Animal Law Foundation @AnimallawFDN]

The UK Government accepts it is illegal to carry chickens by the legs. Rather than insist people follow the law, it has decided to change the law to allow for it. This is the Labour Party's first animal welfare policy since coming into power. https://t.co/rkps4uJ01w

[James Özden 🔸 @JamesOzden]

Visited a caged hen farm with around 50,000 hens in cages. Each cage contains 4 hens, all unable to spread their wings or move more than a few centimetres.

Sadly, this is the reality for the over 3 billion egg-laying hens alive today.

[Lewis Bollard @Lewis_Bollard]

This week, nearly 1,000 pigs burned alive in a North Carolina factory farm that had no sprinklers.

Also this week: the pork industry appealed a new rule that requires them to install sprinklers in their barns. They said it's too expensive.

Pure evil.

[Vox @voxdotcom]

Factory farming is bad for our planet, for animals, and for us. There's a better way.

This week, we're launching a package of stories that we hope will challenge policy leaders and the public to imagine a kinder, saner, and truly sustainable food system: https://t.co/ty1yJEKeSq

[Lewis Bollard @Lewis_Bollard]

For decades, animal advocates lobbied to stop the worst abuses of farm animals -- with limited results.

Then they changed strategy and achieved wins that have already benefited hundreds of millions of animals, and are set to benefit billions more.

Here's the story... 🧵

[Coefficient Giving @coeff_giving]

Through corporate campaigning, the Open Wing Alliance has achieved some of the most significant cage-free welfare wins of the century. We’re proud to support their groundbreaking work. https://t.co/vwHD5VLMjr

[Lewis Bollard @Lewis_Bollard]

We often forget how little most people know about the cruelty on factory farms. This new investigation recorded standard pig industry practices, yet the most upvoted comments show shock and anger. (Even from "RightWingTed"!)

This is why the meat industry hates undercover investigations so much. Their business model relies on keeping consumers in the dark.

https://t.co/DsUk0VElhP

[Harshdeep Singh @harshdeeptweets]

as good a time as any to share this gem:

https://t.co/wsnEDQwnX4

[Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer]

The damage done to Stonehenge is outrageous. Just Stop Oil are pathetic. Those responsible must face the full force of the law.

[Lewis Bollard @Lewis_Bollard]

Labour's new animal welfare policy has 9 pledges ... but not one to protect farm animals.

It's a huge omission: farm animals are >95% of UK animals directly affected by humans.

"The biggest boost in animal welfare in a generation" has to include them.

[Harshdeep Singh @harshdeeptweets]

so worth 25 minutes of your time.

[Bastien Fachan @BastienFachan]

Roger Federer’s Commencement Address at Dartmouth yesterday might be the best speech he’s ever given.

Amazingly articulate, funny, full of wisdom. Made me laugh and tear up. I’m so very proud to have had him as my idol for the past two decades.

If you have 25 minutes to spare…

[AARON @lidolmix]

palestinian gofundmes you can boost and donate to: a thread

[Harshdeep Singh @harshdeeptweets]

It’s always tricky to explain to people what I do, so it was nice to get an opportunity to explain it in detail.

[Coefficient Giving @coeff_giving]

In the most recent installment of our “Day in the Life” series, Farm Animal Welfare Program Associate Harshdeep Singh (@harshdeeptweets) discusses his day-to-day grantmaking, as well as how those interested in the space can get involved. https://t.co/tY1CMGEcUy

[Coefficient Giving @coeff_giving]

@Lewis_Bollard, the head of our Farm Animal Welfare program, just appeared on the @80000Hours podcast: https://t.co/gbapWzrGkR

Topics include incremental reform vs. revolutionary change, farmed animal advocacy in Asia, and the potential effects of AI advances on factory farming.