Agribusiness Accused of spying on ‍Animal rights Activists, Sharing Data With FBI

⁤ ‌ Updated June ⁤03, 2025
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For nearly a decade, top lobbyists ​and representatives ⁣from the agricultural industry in America allegedly conducted a covert ‌campaign to monitor,⁤ discredit, and suppress animal rights organizations. Hundreds of emails and internal documents reveal that the⁤ effort included corporate spies infiltrating meetings⁣ and acting as informants‍ for the FBI.

Documents obtained by Property ‌of the People detail a collaboration between ‌the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD) and the​ Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA). The⁣ AAA, ​a trade​ group representing farmers,⁢ ranchers, and ‌veterinarians, allegedly supplied federal agents with intelligence‍ on groups like Direct ⁤Action Everywhere (DxE) since at least 2018.

The industry’s ⁣mission,according⁣ to the records,was to convince⁢ authorities that animal rights activists posed a “bioterrorism” threat to the U.S. Spies working for the AAA reportedly ‍obtained photographs, audio recordings,‌ and other materials from undercover operations at ⁢activism ‌meetings. These ties ⁣with law⁣ enforcement ‍were allegedly​ used ​to ​shield industry actors from⁢ scrutiny, push ⁢for investigations into critics, and reframe animal rights protests ⁤as a national security concern.

The records ⁣also suggest that state authorities have used protests as justification ⁤to conceal details about disease outbreaks at factory farms.

zoe Rosenberg, an animal cruelty investigator at DxE, said that she was ⁣not surprised by ‍the surveillance. Rosenberg is ⁤currently facing⁤ charges in California for removing chickens from a slaughterhouse in Sonoma County in ⁤2023. She faces a felony count of conspiracy, ⁢with the prosecutor citing avian ⁣flu concerns and portraying​ her ⁢as a “biosecurity risk.”

Rosenberg said⁢ DxE follows biosecurity protocols ⁣exceeding⁣ industry ⁢standards,including quarantining investigators from birds for a week​ before and after farm visits.⁤ She added that investigators shower, wear freshly washed clothes, and sanitize everything⁣ before and after entering facilities.

Rosenberg acknowledged removing the ‍chickens, stating, “Generally, if we feel an animal is going to die from neglect or maltreatment ⁢if we don’t remove them from the facility, then we‌ feel that‍ it is justified and necessary to step in to ​save their life.”

“If anyone should have the ear of law enforcement, it’s animal cruelty ⁤investigators‍ exposing rampant violations of the ‌law leading to real animals suffering and dying horrific⁢ deaths,” rosenberg⁣ said.

Her attorney, Chris Carraway, said that DxE tried‍ reporting ⁣health⁤ violations at the facility without success.⁤ Rosenberg said⁤ that reporting violations often results in ​being passed between agencies, with no one taking responsibility for enforcing animal welfare laws.

what’s next

The⁤ legal proceedings against Rosenberg will continue, and ⁤further investigations into‌ the alleged collaboration between the agricultural industry⁢ and law enforcement‌ are anticipated.