Brandy W. Walt, Humane Party U.S. Presidential Candidate
The Biden-Harris administration has taken few steps in meaningfully addressing climate change, healthcare, and human rights. Meanwhile the plight of farm animals and the devastating impacts of factory farming on our environment and health remain fully ignored. In stark contrast, Equality 2024—my presidential campaign with the Humane Party—places animal rights and the end of factory farming at the center of its platform.
Here’s how Equality 2024 differs from the Biden-Harris campaign, focusing on a central issue of our campaign: the suffering of farm animals.
1. Equality 2024’s Commitment to Ending Animal Agriculture
At the heart of Equality 2024 is a firm commitment to ending factory farming and all animal agriculture, a practice that inflicts immense suffering on billions of farm animals every year. Chickens, cows, pigs, and other animals are confined in overcrowded, filthy conditions, subjected to painful mutilations, and ultimately slaughtered—at a fraction of their natural lifespan. Factory farming also treats animals as mere commodities, denying them any legal protections or recognition of their sentience.
The Biden-Harris administration has continued to advocate for the animal agricultural industry, including factory farms, through subsidies and policies that perpetuate the suffering of animals for meat, dairy, and eggs. Equality 2024, on the other hand, advocates for a complete overhaul of the agricultural system, prioritizing animal rights and transitioning to a plant-based food system that is humane, sustainable, equitable, and recognizes the personhood of all animals.
2. Environmental Impact and Climate Change
Animal agriculture is a leading contributor to climate change, responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector. Methane emissions from livestock, deforestation for feed crops, and the immense water usage required for animal farming all contribute to environmental degradation. Factory farming also leads to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and the destruction of natural habitats.
That the Biden-Harris administration has advocated for the importance of addressing climate change but has not acknowledged the role of animal agriculture reveals not only a lack of care and interest in the plight of animals, but also a lack of sincerity in their willingness to promote serious solutions relative to climate change. Equality 2024 recognizes that tackling climate change requires a fundamental shift away from animal agriculture. By transitioning to plant-based farming, we can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water and land resources, and restore ecosystems that have been devastated by factory farming practices. Our commitment to ending animal agriculture is a key part of our climate action plan, reflecting a truly holistic approach to environmental stewardship.
3. Health Impacts of Animal Agriculture
Factory farming poses serious risks to public health. The overuse of antibiotics in farm animals contributes to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, while the unsanitary conditions in which animals are kept increase the risk of zoonotic diseases—infectious diseases that jump from animals to humans. The COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of how closely public health is tied to our treatment of animals.
While the Biden-Harris administration has worked to address the pandemic and improve healthcare access, it has not tackled the health risks associated with animal agriculture. The reliance on factory farms not only undermines public health but also perpetuates a food system that is detrimental to human well-being. In contrast, Equality 2024 is committed to promoting a plant-based agricultural system that is healthier for people and animals alike. By moving away from animal farming, we can reduce the risk of future pandemics, lower rates of diet-related diseases, and improve overall public health. Plant-based diets have been shown to reduce the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, offering a healthier future for all.
4. Ethical Imperatives and Legal Reform
The moral argument for animal rights is central to Equality 2024’s platform. We believe that all sentient beings—humans and non-humans alike—deserve protection from cruelty and exploitation. Factory farming is not only environmentally destructive and unhealthy, but it is also a grave injustice to the animals who suffer within this system.
The Biden-Harris administration continues to support an agricultural system that commodifies animals and ignores their capacity for suffering. Under current U.S. law, farm animals are excluded from many basic protections, such as those provided under the Animal Welfare Act. This leaves them vulnerable to extreme confinement, painful procedures without anesthesia, and ultimately slaughter and death. Equality 2024 seeks to reform these outdated legal frameworks, pushing for the recognition of all animals as sentient beings with the right to live free from cruelty.
Conclusion
The Biden-Harris administration falls far short of the change we need. Equality 2024, in contrast, offers a bold vision for the future—one that prioritizes the end of factory farming and animal agriculture, environmental sustainability, and the protection of all sentient beings.
The suffering of animals is not an issue that can be ignored if we are serious about achieving a more just, humane, and equitable society. By supporting Equality 2024, voters have the opportunity to choose a campaign that is committed to protecting both human and animal rights, creating a future where justice and compassion are at the forefront of policy.
Brandy W. Walt
U.S. Presidential Candidate
Humane Party
The Humane Herald 