Map of California Factory Farms Exposes Hidden Supply Chains Behind "Humane" Labels

The first-of-its-kind map at FactoryFarmWatch.org is the most comprehensive single source of information on CA's 1300+ industrial animal farms

BERKELEY, Calif., Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The California-based animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) just published an interactive map and database of the 1300+ largest factory farms in California, sharing exactly where these operations are, how many animals they confine, their greenhouse gas emissions, and the consumer brands they supply. The database, which is published at FactoryFarmWatch.org, is the most comprehensive single source of information on California's enormous factory farming industry. It consolidates open source data from sources including the California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS) and California Air Resources Board, as well as manual research and investigative fieldwork.

With this map, people can:

• Search specific brands and find the operations behind them
• See factory farms in their area and their pollution footprint
• Trace taxpayer-funded bailouts for factory farm disease outbreaks
• View photos and videos of how millions of animals are living in our state

By consolidating dispersed and often difficult-to-find data, FactoryFarmWatch.org aims to democratize access to this critical information and offer a powerful tool that has been lacking for holding factory farms accountable.

California is one of the largest factory farming states in the nation, with over 80 million animals living in factory farms, including more dairy cows than any other state. California has faced serious harms caused by factory farming, from water shortages in rural communities to the deaths of millions of birds from the spread of avian flu, which also spread to over 70% of all dairy herds in the state and infected dozens of dairy workers.

California has also been at the epicenter of the fight against factory farming, and DxE hopes this new resource will further build public support to phase out factory farming in the state.

The data reveals:

• Most of California's largest factory farms are "humane" certified despite numerous animal cruelty exposés.
  36 of the state's 40 largest factory farms by animal count are "American Humane" certified, including Central Valley Eggs, which confines over 4 million hens in 3-story sheds. By species, the largest factory farms for chickens raised for meat, egg-laying hens, beef cattle, dairy cattle, ducks, and goats are all humane certified, underscoring how little these "humane" labels indicate about scale or conditions. For example, Foster Farms, the largest poultry producer on the West Coast, is "American Humane" certified despite repeated undercover investigations alleging animal abuse.
• Brands marketed as small, 'family farms' often operate multiple large factory farms.
  For example, Petaluma Egg Farm claims "every egg comes from our North Bay farm," but the map shows it operates four factory farms across two counties, including facilities with hundreds of thousands of hens, and it sells under numerous labels all with their own branding including Judy's Family Farm, Rock Island, Uncle Eddie's, and Daily Egg. Other striking examples include Petaluma Poultry, Diestel Family Ranch, Mary's Chicken, Clover Sonoma, and Alexandre Family Farm.
• California's growing dairy industry is a hidden pipeline into beef production.
  The map identifies previously undisclosed links between dozens of CA dairies and the state's largest cattle feedlot, Brandt Cattle Company, as well as the state's largest calf-raising operation, Grimmius Cattle Company. At Grimmius, tens of thousands of calves who have come from dairies are confined in small, wooden crates and aggressively handled, and sick calves are routinely shot in the head, as documented in never-before-published drone footage on FactoryFarmWatch.org.

These findings help explain a striking disconnect: while roughly 99% of animals raised for food in the U.S. live in factory farms, about 75% of U.S. adults believe they usually buy humane animal products. The Factory Farm Watch database shows how that gap is sustained through marketing, labeling, and supply chains that remain largely invisible to consumers.

"Factory farming has remained politically untouchable in part because no one could see the whole system at once," said Lewis Bernier, a factory farm investigator with DxE and lead researcher on FactoryFarmWatch.org. "Now that the data is easily accessible, we can see the problem more clearly and we're one step closer to ending factory farming in California."

Factory Farm Watch was created by researchers with Direct Action Everywhere, with data contributions from Climate Trace, Farm Forward, Animal Outlook, and Mercy for Animals.

Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) investigates farms, slaughterhouses, and other facilities to document abuses and rescue sick and injured animals. DxE's investigatory work has been featured in The New York Times, WIRED, and Vox. In 2022, DxE activists won the first-ever acquittal in an open rescue case. Visit DxE on Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky, and at directactioneverywhere.com.

SOURCE Direct Action Everywhere