"The more I learned about what goes on over in the factory farms, the less I was able to write it off as a necessary evil," said Laura Union, Compassion in World Farming supporter. "Switching to a plant-based diet was a simple swap of the meat on my plate to other protein sources like beans, tofu, lentils, or plant-based meat. Everything else stayed the same.

"My plant-based diet has resulted in a much more diverse diet. I'm more inclined to try new things and have concocted various vegetable experiments in my kitchen—many of which are now requested by friends. In addition to the economic, environmental, and health benefits, it's just a pleasant change that is surprisingly easy to stick with. There are way more options out there than people realize."

Animals on factory farms live in overcrowded conditions where rampant disease can spread, there is minimal to no exposure to natural light, and they have no access to the outdoors. US Department of Agriculture data shows that approximately 70% of egg-laying hens in the US are forced to live in crowded cages with less than an iPad's worth of space to move.

"The Standard American Diet is destroying critical natural habitats and driving biodiversity loss—for minimal gain. Livestock production takes up 77% of global farmland, but only produces 18% of calories consumed by humans each year," said Ben Williamson, US Executive Director, Compassion in World Farming. "We are here to help. Compassion in World Farming shares resources to help new plant-eaters or current plant-eaters stay informed with tips, how-to cooking videos, delicious recipes to spice up your plant-based cookbook, innovative apps and much more."

For more information, please email Ronnika.McFall@ciwf.org.

About Compassion in World Farming:

Compassion in World Farming is a global farmed animal protection organization that campaigns peacefully to end factory farming and replace it with a food system that is compassionate, fair, and sustainable for all. The charity is dedicated to reforming a broken food and farming system and introducing a more humane, fair, and sustainable one. Compassion engages with the world's leading food companies to create and adopt meaningful animal welfare policies while tracking progress against those commitments to ensure compliance. It works tirelessly towards a better future for animals, people, and the planet by educating concerned consumers and supporting meaningful public policy. With headquarters in the UK, we have offices across Europe, in the US, China and South Africa. To find out more about Compassion in World Farming or join the movement, visit: ciwf.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

Eat Plants for a Change in the New Year