Last year, the Alliance heard news about activist groups in Australia and the U.K. launching interactive maps of farms and other facilities. Activists were encouraged to use the maps to find farms and plants in their areas and access them using any means necessary to collect photos and videos that activist groups may be able to use. We knew at that point that it would not be long before we saw this tactic be replicated here in the U.S., and that prediction came true over the weekend when extreme animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere announced what they are calling “Project Counterglow.”

Project Counterglow involves a map with more than 27,500 farms and facilities mapped down to the exact street address. Activists can add photos and videos of what they call “criminal animal cruelty” (in their opinion, a farm simply existing qualifies for this) to the map that they have collected by trespassing and conducting “surveillance” of locations (the website also includes tips from other activists on doing this).

It is appalling for so many reasons that a group would publish a directory of locations for activists to stalk and harass. Most farmers live on their farms — so DXE is instructing activists to go to families’ homes in order to carry out these campaigns. It made me sick to my stomach to pull up farms in my area where I know the farm family personally and see their home address published for people with extremely negative intentions to access so easily. Farms and plants are also part of our critical infrastructure, a fact that has been reaffirmed over and over again in recent times. This new initiative makes that clear that activists will continue to attempt to disrupt their operations in any way they can, regardless of the impact that will have on food security.

I know there are many other troubling things happening in our world, but more than ever we need to all be keeping farm and plant security close to mind. Use this new activist effort as a reason to schedule a conversation with local law enforcement. Help them understand the serious threat these groups pose and how you can protect yourself. Never cut corners on things like locking gates and doors, posting “no trespassing” signage or verifying the identity of visitors.

Lastly, please consider supporting the Animal Ag Alliance. We can’t work to push back on activist efforts without your help and involvement.

Activists take threats to critical infrastructure to new heights

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