Hive Highlights: Early April 2025
AGI & animals, aquatic welfare, and a career accelerator to increase your impact
Hi there!👋 Is spring starting to show where you are?🌸 Here in the Northern Hemisphere, most of the Hive team is enjoying longer days and a sense of momentum.
The most popular link from Hive Highlights late March 2025 was this article by Samuel Mazzarella on whether alternative proteins are an effective intervention for animals.
To kick off today’s Hive Highlights for early April 2025, here are our 3 top picks from across the movement:
From Movement News
🐖 Animal Welfare: Max Taylor explores what near-term Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could mean for animals, and how this should shape our strategy. Even though AGI’s implications for animals depend heavily on who controls the AGI models, Max suggests we engage with AGI rather than wait to lobby for it to prioritize animals’ interests, and support work that increases our impact in short AGI timelines.
From Jobs & Opportunities
🔥 Opportunity: The Impact Accelerator Program is a free program designed to equip experienced impact-focused professionals with the knowledge and tools to make a meaningful impact. While not specific to any cause area, the program imparts transferable skills highly relevant to various fields, including farmed animal welfare. Apply by 27 April.
From Resources
📚 Research: Aquatic Life Institute’s new paper highlights the connection between animal health and animal welfare, and their role in fostering a healthier, more sustainable aquaculture system. Through case studies, the paper shows how innovative farming methods and technologies integrate animal welfare and sustainability goals to transform global aquaculture.
Warmly,
Sofia, Angel, and the Hive team
How to navigate Hive Highlights
Every two weeks our team sends you the latest updates, organized into four sections:
Movement news: Covering 🐖 Animal Welfare, 🥗 Plant-Based Food & Alternative Protein, ⚖️ Policy, Legislation, and Law, 💪🏾 Animal Advocacy Org Updates, and 🎲 Other
Jobs & Opportunities: Covering 💼 Jobs, 🔥 Opportunities, 💰 Funding, and 🤝 Upcoming External Events
Resources: Covering 📚 Research, 🎙️ Podcasts, and 🎥 Videos
Hive updates: Covering the latest from our team!
Other ways to read this newsletter: Extensions ChatGPT Writer (to summarize posts) or Read Aloud.
🐖 Animal Welfare
Animal Ethics shares its blog post about sentience in aquatic animals.
Bentham's Bulldog argues that insect suffering is the biggest issue in the world and suggests ideas for addressing it.
Jean-Luc Blakey shares notes from CattleCon 2025, the annual meeting of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Fernando Moreno and Ramiro discuss challenges for screwworm eradication in South America.
Forbes publishes an article on cage-free efforts in Africa.
RSPCA's policy book includes a statement calling for a pause on insect farming until more research is undertaken and welfare measures put in place.
Sam Tucker-Davis asserts that promoting Precision Livestock Farming is a strategic mistake for animal advocates.
Zoe Newton argues that the fish farming crisis demands urgent attention.
🥗 Plant-Based Food & Alternative Protein
Cultivated pet food made from mouse cells gets EU approval.
Nijmegen, Netherlands, endorses the Plant Based Treaty and bans meat advertisements.
The European Commission commits to developing a protein diversification plan.
The European Investment Bank grants a €50M loan to Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmännen to build a pea protein isolate factory.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization publishes a report discussing the food safety aspects of precision fermentation.
The UK government invests £1.4 million in an innovation hub to expand its precision fermentation expertise.
⚖️ Policy, Legislation, and Law
Animal Policy International (API) warns that a UK-US trade deal threatens animal welfare and higher-welfare farmers in the UK; API also predicts that India-New Zealand trade talks may raise the imports of lower-welfare animal products into New Zealand.
Chinese government officials signal support for alternative proteins during its Two Sessions summit.
France’s food safety agency recommends a ban on soy-based products in mass catering environments.
💪 Animal Advocacy Org Updates
AI for Animals shares a retrospective on its recent Bay Area conference.
Animal Advocacy Careers publishes a guide to enhance your CV.
Animal Outlook shares the results of its programs that aim to influence lasting behavior change.
ARBA shares the results of its program to reduce anemia with plant-based iron.
Fish Welfare Initiative launches a new monitoring and evaluation plan for its Alliance for Responsible Aquaculture.
The Brooks Institute publishes its annual compendiums for animal law developments in the US and Canada, and also synthesizes the best current science on cephalopod cognition and sentience.
🎲 Other
Animal Think Tank brainstorms what we can learn from animal agriculture’s narrative strategy.
Joris reflects on participating in Animal Advocacy Careers’ Impactful Policy Careers program.
Mark Westcombe shares Animal Think Tank’s poster exploring how to build movement-wide capacity.
💼 Jobs
Philanthropy Specialist and Policy and Advocacy Specialist, Animal Equality UK. Remote, UK. Apply by 9 April.
Executive Assistant to Global Directors, Compassion in World Farming. Hybrid, Godalming. Apply by 15 April.
Vietnam Country Lead, Asia Accountability Initiative. Remote, Vietnam preferred. Apply by 21 April.
Food Business Manager (EU), Compassion in World Farming. Hybrid, Godalming. Apply by 23 April.
Digital Media Producer, Compassion in World Farming. Hybrid, Godalming. Apply by 24 April.
Campaigner, Communications Generalist, and Operations Generalist, Open Cages. Remote, UK. Apply by 4 May.
Global Policy Generalist, Anima International. Remote, Brussels. Apply by 4 May.
UK Director, Veganuary. Remote, UK. Apply by 6 May.
Digital Communications Associate and Organizer, Food Systems and Rural Communities, FarmSTAND. Remote, US. Apply by 15 May.
Growth and Impact Lead, Innovate Animal Ag. Remote, US.
Head of Impact, ProVeg International. Remote, multiple countries.
Open Wing Alliance Coordinator, The Humane League. Remote, multiple countries.
Job search tip: Browse Hive’s Jobs and Careers Resources and follow our Slack’s job feed in the #job-posting channel for new positions daily! You can also view the Animal Advocacy Careers, Tälist, Alt Protein Careers, and Probably Good job boards.
🔥 Opportunities
Kaleem Ahmid and Animetrics are researching Islamic perspectives on animal welfare, and are seeking advisors–complete this form to indicate interest.
Conference speaker applications are open for:
CARE 2025 (11–14 September, Warsaw). Apply by 23 April.
European Vegan Summit 2025 (9–11 September, online). To join as a panelist, send your statement of interest to dagmara@greenrev.org by 11 April.
Indo-Pacific Futures Fellowship examines the connections between food security, energy systems, and leadership for the greater good. Apply by 18 April.
Join the board of the Educated Choices Program to share the future of education, health, and sustainability.
💰 Funding
The Good Food Institute is requesting proposals for its annual Research Grant Program, which will fund up to $3.5M in open-access research for alternative proteins. Apply by 15 May.
Fundraising tip: Hive’s Fundraising Resources include an updated database of current opportunities, and key resources on how to fundraise.
🤝 Upcoming External Events
EAGxNordics 2025, 25–27 April. Oslo.
Biennial Conference of the European Association for Critical Animal Studies, 2–4 May. Berlin.
EAGxPrague, 9–11 May. Prague.
AVA Summit United States, 15–18 May. Los Angeles.
AI, Animals, & Digital Minds Conference, 30 May–1 June. London.
EA Global: London, 6–8 June. London.
Animal Welfare Economics Working Group Annual Interdisciplinary Conference, 10–11 June. Paris.
Events tip: View more on the Connect for Animals (CFA) event list and the Animal Rights Calendar.
📚 Research
Crustacean Compassion publishes The Snapshot 2024: Industry Benchmark on Decapod Crustacean Welfare.
Faunalytics explores the economic impact of a plant-based transition.
Study explores consumer preferences for alternative proteins within the context of pro-environmental choices.
Study explores different views on industrially farmed animal welfare high versus low animal agriculture states.
Study explores social networks’ role in vegetarian diet adoption and maintenance.
Study investigates factors influencing the acceptance of alternative protein sources.
Study tests the effectiveness of Abolitionist versus New Welfarist communication strategies to reduce meat consumption.
Vegconomist summarizes new study showing grass-fed beef is “three to 40 times as carbon-intensive as most plant-based and animal-based alternatives.”
🎙️ Podcasts
How I Learned to Love Shrimp:
Our Hen House:
Building Effective Legislative Campaigns with Natalie Ahwesh and Hannah Truxell
Fur is Dead!: How Local Advocates Are Ending Fur Sales Across America with Kara Holmquist, Max Broad, and Conor Lamkin
The Animal Law Podcast:
The Case of the Cows, the Gas, and the Money with Kelsey Eberly and Skye Walker
👥 Connecting with Hivers in Manchester
I (Sofia) had a great time at the Vegan and Animal Rights Conference (VARC) at the end of March! It was so inspiring to meet many of you in person, hear about your work, and share what Hive’s been up to. Big thanks to everyone who joined the pre-VARC coworking session too—it was a fun way to ease into the conference weekend!
💝 Join us in building Hive’s future
Three weeks ago, we launched CoNectar, our new monthly giving program. We’re making progress towards our goal of 40 new monthly CoNectar donors. Will you join our 15 founding CoNectar supporters in breaking down barriers for farmed animal advocates through year-round connection and community?
Join today to be the first to hear about the impact you’re making, and connect with a community of like-minded supporters. As a CoNectar, you will play a truly important role in empowering farmed animal advocates around the world to stay motivated and do their best work. You will:
Help keep advocates updated and connected through Hive’s core programs—like Hive Events, Slack, and of course the Hive Highlights!
Help advocates’ needs and perspectives be incorporated into our strategic planning and priorities, helping us stay accountable and grounded.
Help Hive have the stability to test new ideas (stay tuned!) for helping advocates in neglected regions overcome barriers to their advocacy.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We’re just getting started! 💥
Thanks for reading our Hive Highlights: Early April 2025 edition 🧡 It’s made possible by the incredible work of animal advocates (like you).
📰 Submit inclusions for the next edition: deadline is 21 April.
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