About

US consumers enjoy access to a veritable cornucopia of meat. We consume an annual average of more than 220 pounds of chicken, pork, and beef per person—one of the highest rates of carnivory in history. What makes it possible is a factory model of meat production that took root in Midwestern stockyards in the late 19th century and bloomed after World War II. For decades, the transnational meatpacking giants that dominate US production have been exporting this model to countries across the globe.But it's not all about just widely available burgers, tacos, and nuggets. What are the model's downsides—the impacts on communities, workers, ecosystems, and public health? Are there better ways to farm animals and provide meat? In Unconfined Podcast, veteran meat industry observers and CLF staffers Tom Philpott and Christine Grillo dig into those questions, interviewing the researchers, community organizers, journalists, and farmers documenting or experiencing the ills of our dominant mode of meat agriculture—and those who are exploring alternatives.  Read the CLF announcement here.

Episodes are available for listening on Apple, Spotify, and CLF’s YouTube channel. Listeners who would like to receive the Unconfined newsletter in their inbox every time there’s a new episode can subscribe here.

	Debbie Berkowitz The Injured Workers Behind Your Chicken Habit Episode 6 of Unconfined, in which we dig into why poultry workers face such hazardous conditions despite a landmark 1970 law requiring safe workplaces. Read and Listen
	Christina Cooke Danger on the farm: What’s putting workers at such high risk? Episode 5 of Unconfined, in which we explore what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration does—and does not do—to protect farmworkers. Read and Listen
	Magaly Licolli Poultry Workers Fight for Their Rights Episode 4 of Unconfined launches our three-part series on worker justice in the meat industry. Read and Listen
	Chris Heaney What the science says about living near giant hog operations and methane digesters Episode 3 of Unconfined, in which we explore community-directed research on biodigesters in communities. Read and Listen
	Patty Lovera The methane digester money trail: Who’s making money off of biogas? Episode 2 of Unconfined, in which we explore the market-based viability of biogas Read and Listen
	Sherri White-Williamson Living amid hog CAFOs—now with methane digesters attached  Episode 1 of Unconfined, the podcast about industrial meat production and its alternatives Read and Listen