Dairy & Meat Industry / Films / Movies / Films About Diet and Food

Vegan 2016 – The Progress and Challenges Faced by the Growing Vegan Movement in 2016

by Jennie Richards · Published April 10, 2018 · Updated April 14, 2018

2016 was an epic year for veganism and a collective shift in business, technology, media, fashion and the food industry supporting vegan products and animal welfare. So what happened in 2016? Watch the 35-minute film and find out!

Watch Vegan 2016

Watch Vegan 2015

Quotes From The Film

“This is not some mundane diet choice, this is the difference between enslavement and freedom; between torture and peace; between death and life – you understand this.”

“The meat, dairy and egg industries are huge investors in the U.S. government as is the pharmaceutical industry; the government subsidizes the extremely profitable meat, dairy and egg industry.”

“We live in a complex and unfair world where the way things work don’t make much sense. Those in power tell stories to keep us blinded and distracted from this cruel reality. These stories become increasingly unconvincing, desperate and hollow.”

“Veganism is growing and the animal agriculture industries are desperately trying to hold onto profits.“

“We don’t need to kill animals to survive and be healthy — what are we doing this to them for?”

“Dr. Michael Greger, M.D., an American physician and public health expert, published a book in 2016 “How Not To Die,” which reached the New York Times Bestsellers list. Dr. Greger says, ‘Only one diet can reverse and prevent the number one cause of death in the U.S. — heart disease. And eating a plant-based diet prevents and reverses diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and chronic disease.’”

“We are being manipulated by an industry that thinks people are cash cows.”

“These are multi-billion dollar industries that put a huge amount of effort not just into advertising and marketing, but into changing federal policy. These industries are full of conflicts of interest.”

“Without realizing it, many journalists have been bought by the meat, dairy and egg industries, so they speak the rhetoric of the animal agriculture industries. They try to twist the truth.”

“Mainstream media is anti-vegan. The media industry is controlled and paid for by the meat and dairy industry.”

“The animal agriculture industry manipulates a constant state of confusion and misinformation for the American public, just like the tobacco industry did in the 20th century.”

“Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, is the act that is used against animal rights activists, and it states that anyone disrupting the business of an animal enterprise is ‘committing an act of terrorism.'”

“Anyone who disrupts the profits of this industry, even by telling the truth, can be breaking the law in the U.S. That’s how powerful this industry is.”

“The single most devastating and destructive force behind our planet’s environmental collapse remains not only unspoken but actually actively denied by the very organizations charged with saving our planet.”

“Animal agriculture is responsible for 16 percent of all global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the U.N. 2016 report. There is now evidence that the animal agriculture industry is not only the LEADING CAUSE of global warming, but also water depletion, species extinction, ocean dead zones, antibiotic resistance and the malnutrition and starvation of the poor.”

Veganism has increased 350% in Britain from 10 years ago. Companies have released new vegan products in 2016.”

“As people eat more plant-based foods and less or no meat and dairy, the companies selling the meat and dairy food will adjust to consumer trends. Animal-based companies are seeing the sentiment that exists in the marketplace, and seeing they need to change.”

“Hampton Creek makes Just Mayo that is rocking the world.”

“Executive Director of Alphabet that owns Google, Eric Schmidt, said ‘vegan meat is the most important trend ever.’ Switching from animal-based protein to plant-based protein.”

“By the year 2020, the meat substitute market is predicted to be worth over 5 billion dollars globally.”

“2016 is the first year that a meat tax is being considered in Denmark, and Professor Maarten Hajer of the U.N. called for a worldwide tax on all animal products.”

“China’s Ministry of Health asked for a 50% reduction in meat consumption for Chinese citizens.”

“In the U.S., the dairy industry culled and killed over 500,000 dairy cows specifically to price fix dairy prices higher – to permanently raise dairy prices in a price-fixing scheme. The U.S. dairy industry is corrupt and their corruption was revealed.”

“The plant-based milk market is predicted to be worth over $35 billion dollars by 2024.”

“In 2016, the dairy industry in the U.S. had to ask the U.S. federal government for a $20 million dollar cheese bailout, because the dairy industry over produced milk and cheese.”

“An enormous number of celebrities promoted veganism and opened vegan businesses in 2016.”

“For grassroots outreach there has been a huge number of developments this year – Veganuary doubled its impact; in New York City there was the largest ever vegan billboard campaign; Anonymous For The Voiceless went global this year; Vigils conducted by the organization Pig Save, held vigils outside of slaughterhouses that gained a widespread attendance; animal rights activists entered slaughterhouses and exposed horrific conditions and violence.”

“This industry doesn’t care about the animal’s welfare, well-being, or psychology; disease is rampant; the animals can’t even often walk; they feed the animals drugs just to keep them alive; they are essentially tortured their entire lives. That’s why there are Ag-Gag laws because if people actually saw how their meat products were produced it is so appalling and revolting, they would not eat the products if they saw the abuse and violence.”

“The worst offenders on this planet – the pedophiles, sex offenders, murderers – do not get treated anywhere nearly as badly — as the most innocent and vulnerable beings on this planet, the animals.”

“We’re a disgrace! I cannot believe that we are here fighting for this, that we have to put these marches on, to fight for basic fundamental rights for animals! I cannot believe in this day and age we have to fight against the oppression of animals! We are supposed to be a compassionate species, we have emotional capacity – why don’t we use these? Showing compassion, mercy, empathy for animals? We have to do what’s right!”

“In 2016, there were huge animal rights protests and marches that took place all over the world; SeaWorld announced all of its signature orca shows are coming to an end. The Sea Shepard shot down illegal fishing in Antarctica. In the fashion world, leather sales are plummeting and manufacturing companies are changing to more ethical materials. Media outlets like Vogue are promoting vegan products. The pro vegan film The Herd was produced and is free for all to see. And the film Bear Story won the best animated short film at the Oscars about circus brutality. Vegan athletes have been thriving and setting new records.”

“Medicine is on an absolute cusp of a seismic revolution in health.”

“There is a constant drum of indoctrination into carnism, you’re hit with billboards and commercials that subliminally connect eating meat with patriotism, status, and sex appeal. These are just subliminal manipulations to keep people eating meat because people are making money off of it. It’s all pure propaganda.”

“We’re fighting big pharma, big dairy, big animal agriculture.”

“The single most effective thing anyone can do to improve their health and to have our species survive on the Earth, is to eliminate animal products.”

“The world’s happiest man became vegan!”