Cage-free eggs are everywhere. They are now available at most every grocery store, a muffin lists cage-free eggs in the ingredients, and a restaurant touts cage-free omelettes on their menu. Is this a win for hens? We crack into this question with Amber Canavan examining PETA’s new document called, “White Paper On the Failure of Cage-Free Housing Systems To Reduce Over All Hen Suffering”.

On this episode, Amber shares why PETA released this white paper, how cage-free facilities can actually create new and worse conditions for hens, and how humanewashing eases consumers concerns about the treatment of farmed animals. Amber and Hope both share first hand experience of witnessing cage-free facilities and the reality of cage-free egg farming.

Amber Canavan is Associate Director of Vegan Campaigns at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Her victories include persuading Costco, Target, and Albertsons to stop selling coconut milk sourced from brands that used forced monkey labor in Thailand; getting Kikkoman soy source to end decades-long experiments on animals; compelling Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and other coffee chains to drop a vegan milk upcharge; and orchestrating the rescue of over 400 hens from a cage free egg facility that was shutting down. She has worked on various animal rights legislation, including the foie gras sales ban that passed in New York City.

Resources:

PETA’s Cage-Free White Paper

The Cage-Free Conundrum, Hope for the Animals Podcast Episode 100

The Humane Deception with Lia Wilbourn, Hope for the Animals Podcast Episode 124

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Vegans are visionaries. We hold a vision of a nonviolent future where all animals are free from human imposed commodification, suffering, and killing. What if this vision was on the ballot and we could vote on it? That could be happing soon with the Oregon Initiative Petition 28 — officially titled the PEACE Act, People for Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions. This ballot initiative would eliminate the legal exemptions that currently protect hunting, fishing, trapping, and farming from Oregon's animal abuse statutes. David Michelson is the visionary heading up this historic effort and on this episode he shares insights into the campaign including why he decided to start it, why in Oregon, and what its passing would mean for animals. He also clears up some misconceptions about the campaign and talks about our vision as a movement and how we need to hold onto the hope for total animal liberation.

David Michelson is the lead organizer behind a ballot initiative campaign in Oregon that seeks to ban the killing and breeding of all animals statewide—including those on farms, in research labs, and in the wild. David started this campaign in 2020, and is currently working on qualifying it for the 2026 upcoming election.

Resources:

Campaign website: YES on IP28

BOOK: Spirit Matters by Michael Lerner

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Joanne Kong joins us on the Hope for the Animals Podcast to talk about her new book Vegan Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Plant-Based Living. This episode explores the how-to of living vegan. Joanne talks about why she felt it was important to start the book with the vegan connection to social justice. She and Hope also talk about the difference between vegan and plantbased, sticky situations that vegans encounter and how to deal with them, how to avoid animal products beyond food, and some responses to frequently asked carnist questions.

Dr. Joanne Kong’s new book Vegan Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Plant-Based Living provides practical tips and know-how for those on their plant-based journey. It covers a wide range of topics including ways to make the transition, stocking your vegan kitchen, meal-planning, shopping, understanding food labels, plus advice on navigating social challenges, travel, and eating out. Beyond diet, other lifestyle aspects of vegan living are explored as well.

Vegan advocate Dr. Joanne Kong has spoken throughout the United States, including talks at numerous vegfests, conferences, high schools, and universities. Her highly-praised TEDx talk, The Power of Plant-Based Eating, at over 1 million views on YouTube, is placed on numerous websites internationally. Dr. Kong is the editor of Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers, released in 2021 by Lantern Publishing & Media. She also appears in the major documentary, Eating Our Way to Extinction. As a critically-acclaimed concert pianist, Joanne incorporates the arts into her animal advocacy with benefit concerts for animal sanctuaries, as well as unique Strands of Compassion events presented by VEGAN VIRTUOSI, a duo with cellist Dr. Christoph Wagner. Her new book, Vegan Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Plant-Based Living, is out now.

Resources:

Joanne’s website: www.vegansmakeadifference.com

Joanne’s Book: Vegan Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Plant-Based Living

Eugene VeganFest, May 3, 2026

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