Analysis of Josh Balk Emails (Feb 2023 – Oct 2025)

The table below summarises the key points from each email in chronological order. It shows the date, subject, and notable content from Josh Balk’s communications. The summary highlights corporate victories, shareholder proposals, Prop 12 updates, and activism against the EATS/Save Our Bacon Acts. Date (UTC) Email subject Main points 9 Feb 2023 Life update Josh Balk announced he left the Humane Society of the United States after 18 years and co‑founded The Accountability Board (TAB) with Matt Prescott. The new non‑profit invests in ~100 of the largest food companies and uses shareholder activism to push animal‑welfare reforms. Early wins included getting Burger King’s parent (RBI) to commit to 100 % cage‑free eggs and group housing for pigs, Krispy Kreme to create a global cage‑free glidepath, First Watch to agree to switch to 100 % cage‑free eggs by year‑end, Jack in the Box to publish a timeline to phase out gestation crates, Giant Eagle to convert its private‑label eggs to cage‑free, and Sprouts to adopt a strong broiler policy. 11 May 2023 We won the Prop 12 SCOTUS case! TAB celebrated the Supreme Court’s 5‑4 ruling upholding California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of meat and eggs from animals confined in small cages. Balk described the decision as historic and linked to an NBC News story. 15 May 2023 Supreme Court ruling recap Balk provided more detail on how the HSUS (and later TAB) won the case: the legal team wrote Prop 12 carefully to withstand constitutional scrutiny, organized dozens of amicus briefs from economists, farmers, veterinarians and state attorneys general, and overcame industry arguments about interstate commerce. He noted that Prop 12 passed with 63 % of the vote in 2018 and that the Supreme Court historically overturns a high percentage of Ninth Circuit decisions. 25 May 2023 Big wins for farm animals TAB announced a series of corporate victories: Compass Group agreed to benchmarks for 100 % cage‑free eggs and affirmed it would be cage‑free globally by 2025; Conagra published its first timeline to achieve group‑housed pork and reaffirmed its cage‑free egg commitment; Krispy Kreme accelerated its cage‑free deadline to 2025; Kroger faced pressure from the Michigan Attorney General to clarify which eggs came from cages; Sprouts committed to eliminating crates in processed pork by 2025; Peet’s Coffee completed its U.S. cage‑free transition and planned to publish a roadmap for Asia; Hershey reached 100 % cage‑free eggs globally three years early; Costa Coffee agreed to report its progress. 10 Jul 2023 Some wins Unilever published its first benchmarks for achieving its global cage‑free commitment; Denny’s reached 40 % cage‑free eggs a year early and committed to annual 20 % increases to meet 100 % by early 2026; Carnival Cruise Lines reported 58 % cage‑free eggs, 29 % crate‑free pork and 25 % higher‑welfare chicken; Balk was quoted in the Los Angeles Times and Associated Press about Prop 12. 28 Sep 2023 California’s Prop 12 gets Chile to go crate‑free Balk shared an Agri‑Pulse report from a USDA trade mission to Chile showing that Chile’s hog industry is converting to Prop 12‑compliant practices to maintain access to California, because half of Chile’s pork is exported and cannot be segregated. 6 Oct 2023 KFC and Burger King on TAB’s work At an international poultry‑industry conference, executives from Yum! Brands and Restaurant Brands International called shareholder activism a “nightmare” for them, validating TAB’s tactics. 16 Oct 2023 Big win for hens First Watch’s 500‑location breakfast chain completed its switch to 100 % cage‑free eggs. 23 Oct 2023 75 shareholder proposals Balk announced that TAB had entered the shareholder‑proposal season with 75 proposals targeting virtually every major publicly traded food company in the U.S. and Canada. He linked to a podcast interview discussing Prop 12, the Supreme Court victory and the dangerous EATS Act. 11 Dec 2023 Some wins Hormel, after TAB withdrew a proposal, agreed to study and report the prevalence of group‑housing in its supply chain and take actions to increase it; General Mills said that by year‑end its pork would be 100 % group‑housed and eggs 80‑85 % cage‑free; Jack in the Box acknowledged creating a roadmap to reach 100 % group‑housed pork; Bloomin’ Brands (Outback Steakhouse, etc.) committed to 90 % group‑housed pork over five years and to report its cage‑free progress. 18 Dec 2023 Thank you Balk highlighted TAB’s impact: McDonald’s reached 88 % cage‑free eggs in the U.S. and 91 % group‑housed pork; Target was at 58 % cage‑free; Kroger reported it would reach 100 % fresh pork from group housing by 2025; Costco reported >90 % cage‑free eggs and 100 % group‑housed fresh pork; Marriott, Hilton, Denny’s, General Mills and many other companies were advancing toward cage‑free and crate‑free targets. The email also provided a long list of achievements (see section 2). 23 Feb 2024 More major advancements Aramark, the third‑largest global food‑service company, created a global cage‑free glidepath, reached 91 % group‑housed pork in the U.S., and published Better Chicken Commitment benchmarks; Disney agreed to switch to 100 % cage‑free eggs in its Hong Kong and Shanghai parks over six years; BJ’s Wholesale agreed to convert almost all its remaining caged eggs to cage‑free; Wyndham Hotels added a requirement that its green‑certified hotels use 100 % cage‑free eggs; Hyatt committed to disclose cage‑free percentages globally and establish benchmarks for ~85 % cage‑free eggs in U.S. company‑managed hotels; Coles (Australia) disclosed that 89 % of its eggs are cage‑free and is on track for 100 %. 4 Mar 2024 We beat Jack in the Box (and new cage‑free pinnacle) TAB’s climate‑change shareholder proposal at Jack in the Box passed, despite opposition from management. The victory showed that less than 3 % of proposals pass, highlighting the impact of TAB’s approach. The email also celebrated that the U.S. cage‑free egg percentage exceeded 40 %, representing more than 100 million cage‑free hens. 12 Mar 2024 Wins for animals Yum! Brands announced its first gestation‑crate policy and committed to publish measurable targets; Domino’s acknowledged that 50 % of its bacon is from group‑housing and pledged to push the industry toward gestation‑crate elimination; Maple Leaf Foods (Canada’s largest pork company) committed to switch all its pork to group‑housing and work with suppliers; Hilton agreed to publish its first cage‑free egg benchmarks. 15 Feb 2024 Perhaps most impactful win Balk highlighted that McDonald’s reached 100 % cage‑free eggs in the U.S. two years early, eliminating 2 billion days of animal suffering each year. TAB also launched an initiative with U.S. Foods to nudge restaurant and grocery clients toward cage‑free eggs and gained media coverage (Bloomberg, Fortune, QSR, Watt Poultry) for exposing Shake Shack’s misleading “hormone‑free” chicken claims. 6 Feb 2024 Big McDonald’s advancement and Bloomberg on our work McDonald’s achieved 100 % cage‑free eggs in the U.S. nearly two years ahead of schedule after TAB’s 2022 proxy fight with Carl Icahn. Bloomberg ran a story about TAB challenging Shake Shack’s “no hormones” chicken marketing. 2 Apr 2024 Two more advancements Potbelly, a 424‑location chain, made its first animal‑welfare commitment—to convert to 100 % cage‑free eggs within 2.5 years. TAB also arranged for Chipotle executives to meet with Perdue about adopting the Better Chicken Commitment (more space, slower‑growing breeds and controlled‑atmosphere stunning). 22 Apr 2024 Win with Albertsons (4th largest grocer) TAB persuaded Albertsons to commit to publish measurable targets for increasing group‑housed pork. 1 May 2024 Big cage‑free win Smucker’s, owner of Hostess, agreed to transition to 100 % cage‑free eggs over four years, with benchmarks of 50 % in two years and 75 % in three. 29 May 2024 Los Angeles Times endorses our Walmart proposal! The LA Times editorial board endorsed TAB’s shareholder proposal urging Walmart to set benchmarks to eliminate gestation crates in its pork supply. The editorial explained why gestation‑crate confinement is cruel and argued Walmart’s voluntary policy has produced little progress. 5 Jun 2024 We beat Wingstop! (and other advancements) TAB’s climate‑change proposal at Wingstop passed with majority support. Although proposals at Loblaw and Denny’s did not reach majority, they achieved majority support among outside shareholders. 17 Jun 2024 Quick updates (including a win) TAB’s cage‑free proposal at Wendy’s garnered 41 % of outside shareholder votes, a high level that prompted Wendy’s directors to re‑engage. Caesars Entertainment disclosed that it achieved 73 % cage‑free eggs in 2023 and targets 88 % in 2024 and 100 % by 2025. 25 Jun 2024 Recap of our inaugural shareholder season TAB recapped its first shareholder season: 30 proposals were withdrawn in exchange for concessions; 18 went to a vote, averaging 26.7 % support; two proposals (Jack in the Box and Wingstop) passed and three were in the top five highest vote totals among all social‑issue proposals. TAB also secured seven additional advancements working with allied investors. 2 Aug 2024 Bloomberg feature on Accountability Board A Bloomberg article profiled TAB’s rare climate proxy wins at Jack in the Box and Wingstop and explained that TAB succeeded by making broad requests that allowed management discretion. It noted that only three ESG proposals achieved majority support in that proxy season. 8 Aug 2024 Major victory In exchange for TAB withdrawing a proposal, Brinker International (owner of Chili’s and Maggiano’s) committed to reach 45 % group‑housed pork by June 2025, 55 % by June 2026 and 65 % by June 2027, and to reach 100 % cage‑free eggs by the end of next year. 15 Aug 2024 Major win with Burger King Restaurant Brands International (owner of Burger King, Tim Hortons and Firehouse Subs) announced new benchmarks: at least 20 % cage‑free eggs in the U.S. by 2024, 40 % by 2025 and full compliance by 2026; and 15 % cage‑free eggs in Canada by 2024 with full compliance by 2028. 11 Sep 2024 Barron’s on us taking on Starbucks Barron’s published a feature about TAB’s shareholder proposal calling on Starbucks to appoint an independent board chair and to press the company on cage‑free eggs. The article noted that only 41 % of S&P 500 companies still combine the chair and CEO roles. 30 Sep 2024 TAB and New York vs Starbucks New York State, holding nearly $200 million in Starbucks stock, joined TAB as a co‑filer on its corporate‑governance proposal, adding significant weight to the campaign against Starbucks. 4 Oct 2024 Bloomberg on our Coca‑Cola proposal TAB filed a shareholder proposal urging Coca‑Cola to measure and reduce food waste; a Bloomberg article explained the proposal’s environmental and financial benefits. TAB argued that cutting food waste can save companies money and reduce climate impacts. 9 Oct 2024 New cage‑free egg record The USDA announced that 41.7 % of the U.S. flock is cage‑free, up from single digits a decade earlier. TAB credited its success in pushing companies to meet or accelerate cage‑free commitments. 17 Oct 2024 Major changes at the largest egg producer Cal‑Maine Foods, the largest U.S. egg producer, announced it would spend $40 million replacing retired caged facilities with cage‑free barns, adding capacity for ~1 million layers. TAB highlighted this as tangible proof of the shift to cage‑free production. 19 Nov 2024 Big advancements Sodexo (feeding 100 million customers daily) confirmed that it is on track to reach 100 % cage‑free eggs by the end of next year in markets representing 88 % of revenue and 100 % group‑housed pork in the U.S.. This came after a rocky relationship in which an executive accidentally admitted they wanted to ignore shareholders. 3 Dec 2024 Kroger advancement In exchange for TAB withdrawing a proposal, Kroger began testing shelf tags identifying eggs from caged hens versus other production methods in Atlanta and Arizona stores. This initiative aims to reduce cage‑egg sales by improving transparency. 6 Dec 2024 Bloomberg exclusive Bloomberg reported on TAB’s proposals urging companies such as McDonald’s and El Pollo Loco to measure and reduce food waste. TAB argued that reducing food waste saves money and benefits animals because wasted food often includes meat and eggs. 20 Dec 2024 I think you’ll enjoy this Balk shared that industry executives described TAB’s campaigns as a “nightmare” and thanked supporters. He listed numerous 2024 victories: McDonald’s at 100 % cage‑free in the U.S., RBI accelerating its cage‑free timelines, Yum! Brands adopting measurable gestation‑crate targets, Marriott reaching nearly 50 % cage‑free globally, Campbell Soup reaching 100 % group‑housed pork, Brinker International’s new benchmarks, Starbucks moving from 22 % to 75 % group‑housed pork in the U.S., Kroger testing cage‑egg signage, Sodexo and other companies implementing cage‑free or crate‑free glidepaths, and many more. 17 Jan 2025 Major win BJ’s Wholesale completed its commitment to reduce cage‑egg SKUs from 13 to 1, boosting cage‑free sales from ~43 % to ~80 %. Forbes published a feature on farm‑animal corporate campaigning quoting Balk. 3 Feb 2025 Major win for pigs Dine Brands (IHOP and Applebee’s) committed to eliminate pork from gestation‑crate systems and transition fully to group‑housed pork over five years, with interim targets. IHOP and Applebee’s have >3,200 locations and are major pork buyers. 10 Feb 2025 Encouraging progress Compass Group agreed to provide monthly progress updates on its cage‑free and crate‑free commitments. TAB reported that 69 % of its shell eggs and 70 % of liquid eggs were cage‑free, and 92 % of its pork purchases were from group‑housing systems. 19 Feb 2025 Just Egg sales skyrocketing As co‑founder of EAT Just, Balk noted that plant‑based Just Egg sales increased 5× due to bird‑flu‑related egg shortages and high prices, prompting retailers to request more stock. 17 Mar 2025 Advancements from the largest U.S. foodservice company Aramark reported that in 2024, 68 % of its eggs were cage‑free globally and 83 % in the U.S., and 92 % of its pork purchases were group‑housed. The company aims for 100 % cage‑free eggs worldwide by the end of 2025. 1 Apr 2025 Win for chickens JM Smucker accelerated its cage‑free timeline for its Hostess brands from 2028 to 2027 and set an interim goal of 50 % by 2026. 2 Jun 2025 New cage‑free record The USDA reported that 44.8 % of U.S. laying hens are cage‑free (≈130 million hens), up from single digits a decade earlier. 16 Jun 2025 Global win for chickens The Cheesecake Factory announced that it now uses 100 % cage‑free eggs globally, six years ahead of schedule. 1 Jul 2025 Major win in the courts—and corporate board rooms The Supreme Court refused to hear the pork industry’s second challenge to Prop 12, leaving the law intact. TAB noted the USDA reported 45.7 % cage‑free hens—a new record. In corporate news, Campbell Soup reached 44 % cage‑free eggs (up from 24 % in 2023), and Bloomin’ Brands reached 100 % cage‑free eggs in the U.S. and set timelines for Brazil and global conversion. 11 Jul 2025 My thoughts on Dept of Justice suing to overturn Prop 12 Balk criticised the Department of Justice’s lawsuit to overturn Prop 12, noting that 20 previous lawsuits and congressional bills (EATS Act/Save Our Bacon Act) aim to undermine state animal‑welfare laws. He argued that cage‑free and crate‑free transitions are well underway, with nearly 50 % cage‑free eggs thanks to laws and corporate commitments. 28 Jul 2025 Major Bloomberg Businessweek feature on cage‑free success A Bloomberg Businessweek article celebrated the approaching milestone of 50 % cage‑free eggs, noting there are >130 million cage‑free laying hens (≈46 % of the flock). It recounted the history of the cage‑free movement, early corporate pledges and the influence of state laws like Prop 2 and Prop 12. The piece also highlighted that price spikes in 2024 were due to bird flu rather than cage‑free laws. 4 Aug 2025 Update on congressional efforts to overturn Prop 12 Balk described anti‑Prop 12 manoeuvres in Congress: the sponsor of the EATS Act renamed it the Save Our Bacon Act, USDA released a flawed study blaming Prop 12 for high pork prices, and a House Agriculture Committee hearing allowed only anti‑Prop 12 witnesses. TAB responded by prepping congressional allies with questions, flying in Prop 12‑compliant farmers to meet lawmakers and launching bipartisan letters opposing the EATS/SOB Act. They planned a farmer fly‑in and rally with a gestation crate to coincide with the farm bill debate. 11 Aug 2025 Some wins this past week BJ’s Wholesale publicly disclosed that its egg assortment includes only one conventional SKU and reported that 70 % of its eggs sold were cage‑free; Royal Caribbean reported progress to 95 % cage‑free eggs, 99 % GAP‑certified chicken and 84 % group‑housed pork; Norwegian Cruise Lines reported 79 % cage‑free eggs and 51 % group‑housed pork. 16 Sep 2025 Major wins TAB convinced Grocery Outlet to adopt a 100 % cage‑free policy for its private‑label eggs, covering >550 stores. BJ’s Wholesale, Sodexo and Albertsons adopted cage‑free and crate‑free glidepaths; J&J Snack Foods adopted its first cage‑free commitment; Red Robin reinstated a timeline to reach 100 % cage‑free eggs by Dec 2026. 25 Sep 2025 Substantial progress from Hyatt Hyatt reached 91 % cage‑free eggs for U.S. company‑owned hotels and 70 % cage‑free for U.S./Canada franchised hotels in 2024, and 42 % gestation‑crate‑free pork【3774†L3849-L3853】. 1 Oct 2025 New York Times on our work A New York Times DealBook article reported on TAB’s shareholder proposal urging Target to split the roles of CEO and board chair【3774†L3877-L3890】. TAB argued that an independent chair is crucial given Target’s financial underperformance and previous corporate‑governance issues【3774†L3889-L3899】. 20 Oct 2025 Big actions in DC against EATS Act TAB helped organize a week of activism in Washington: 200 farmers supporting Prop 12 met with >100 congressional offices, held a National Press Club conference and led a tractor rally around the Capitol【3920†L3952-L3971】. TAB emphasised that farmers opposing EATS/SOB are essential to winning the fight【3920†L3972-L3975】. 27 Oct 2025 Big victory in China Costa Coffee, after a year of negotiations, completed the transition to 100 % cage‑free eggs in China, its largest international market, and publicly announced the update【3920†L3997-L4005】. TAB said this success makes it harder for companies like Starbucks to continue stalling in Asia【3920†L4004-L4011】.

The Accountability Board’s strategy is to invest in food companies and use shareholder proposals to leverage change. In its first two years, TAB filed more than 75 proposals and achieved numerous concessions. Key victories are summarised below (grouped by sector).

McDonald’s – After TAB and Carl Icahn launched a proxy fight in 2022, McDonald’s reached 100 % cage‑free eggs in the U.S. two years early and achieved 91 % group‑housed pork. This eliminated ~2 billion days of hens’ suffering annually. Jack in the Box – TAB’s climate‑change shareholder proposal passed, one of the few proposals to win majority support. The company committed to publish roadmaps for cage‑free eggs and group‑housed pork. Wingstop – A TAB climate‑change proposal also passed, strengthening TAB’s leverage on animal‑welfare issues. Burger King/Restaurant Brands International (RBI) – RBI committed to benchmarks for 100 % cage‑free eggs, including 20 % in the U.S. by 2024 and full compliance by 2026, and accelerated its Canadian timeline to 2028. Yum! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell) – Adopted its first gestation‑crate policy and committed to publish measurable targets. Dine Brands (IHOP, Applebee’s) – Committed to eliminate pork from gestation‑crate systems and transition to 100 % group‑housed pork over five years. The Cheesecake Factory – Achieved 100 % cage‑free eggs globally in 2025, six years ahead of schedule. Its U.S. company‑managed hotels under Marriott previously reached 80 % cage‑free eggs. Potbelly – Made its first animal‑welfare commitment, agreeing to convert to 100 % cage‑free eggs within 2.5 years. Chipotle – TAB persuaded Chipotle executives to meet with Perdue to discuss adopting the Better Chicken Commitment, which would improve space, enrichments, breed selection and slaughter methods. Red Robin – Re‑adopted a timeline to reach 100 % cage‑free eggs by Dec 2026 after TAB agreed to forego a shareholder proposal【3774†L3817-L3822】.

Aramark – Created a global cage‑free glidepath, reached 91 % group‑housed pork in the U.S., and published Better Chicken Commitment benchmarks. By 2024, 68 % of its eggs were cage‑free globally and 83 % in the U.S., with 92 % group‑housed pork. Compass Group – Agreed to benchmarks to reach 100 % cage‑free eggs and group‑housed pork globally by 2025. In 2025 it began monthly progress updates, reporting 69 % cage‑free shell eggs, 70 % cage‑free liquid eggs and 92 % group‑housed pork. Sodexo – Confirmed it will reach 100 % cage‑free eggs by the end of 2025 in markets representing 88 % of its revenue and will reach 100 % group‑housed pork in the U.S. by the end of next year. Royal Caribbean – After adopting a multi‑issue glidepath, the company reached 95 % cage‑free eggs, 99 % GAP‑certified chicken and 84 % group‑housed pork【3774†L3742-L3749】. Norwegian Cruise Lines – Reported 79 % cage‑free eggs, 88 % GAP‑certified chicken and 51 % group‑housed pork【3774†L3751-L3754】.

Kroger – Agreed to test shelf tags identifying eggs from caged hens vs. cage‑free in Atlanta and Arizona stores. The initiative followed pressure from the Michigan Attorney General and TAB’s shareholder proposals. Albertsons – Committed to publish measurable targets for increasing group‑housed pork and later adopted a glidepath requiring a 20 % increase in group‑housed pork volume each year from 2025–2029【3774†L3797-L3807】. Grocery Outlet – Adopted a 100 % cage‑free policy for its private‑label eggs across >550 stores after TAB agreed not to file a proposal【3774†L3778-L3787】. BJ’s Wholesale – Reduced its caged‑egg SKUs from 13 to 1, boosting cage‑free sales from ~43 % to ~80 % and publicly disclosed that 70 % of eggs sold were cage‑free【3774†L3728-L3735】. Target – Reached 58 % cage‑free eggs; TAB later filed a governance proposal to require an independent board chair【3774†L3877-L3899】.

Hershey – Reached 100 % cage‑free eggs globally three years ahead of schedule. Smucker/Hostess – Agreed to reach 100 % cage‑free eggs over four years with interim targets and later accelerated the timeline by one year. Maple Leaf Foods – Committed to source 100 % of its hogs from group‑housing systems and to work with suppliers to reach that goal. Grupo Bimbo – Announced a global cage‑free glidepath: 17 % cage‑free, 46 % in 2024 and 100 % in 2025. Cal‑Maine Foods – Planned to spend $40 million to replace caged facilities with cage‑free barns, adding capacity for 1 million hens. J&J Snack Foods – Adopted its first cage‑free commitment, pledging to reach 70 % cage‑free eggs by the end of 2025【3774†L3810-L3815】.

Marriott – Reported 80 % cage‑free eggs in U.S. hotels and about 70 % in Canada. Hilton – Published interim cage‑free benchmarks for company‑owned hotels in the U.S., Canada, UK/Ireland and EU. Hyatt – Reached 91 % cage‑free eggs in U.S. company‑owned hotels and 70 % in U.S./Canada franchised hotels; 42 % of pork was gestation‑crate‑free【3774†L3849-L3853】. Wyndham Hotels – Added a requirement that “Level 4” and “Level 5” hotels in its green‑certification program use 100 % cage‑free eggs.

Food‑waste proposals – TAB filed proposals at Coca‑Cola, McDonald’s, El Pollo Loco, BJ’s Restaurants, Dollar General and MTY Group urging them to measure and reduce food waste. The proposals cited financial benefits and climate advantages of cutting waste. Corporate governance – TAB filed proposals at Starbucks, Target and other companies calling for an independent board chair【3774†L3877-L3899】. Better Chicken Commitment – TAB pushed companies like Chipotle and Compass Group to adopt the Better Chicken Commitment, which includes more space, enrichments, slower‑growing breeds and controlled‑atmosphere slaughter. Plant‑based products – With bird flu causing egg shortages, sales of Just Egg, a plant‑based egg product co‑founded by Balk, surged 5×.

Proposition 12 was a 2018 California ballot measure that prohibits the confinement of egg‑laying hens, mother pigs and veal calves in cages or crates and bans the sale of products from animals so confined. It passed with 63 % of the vote and took effect gradually. The law set off a wave of lawsuits and legislative attacks. Initial lawsuits – Four lawsuits challenged Prop 12, including one from the National Pork Producers Council that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. TAB (then within HSUS) coordinated dozens of amicus briefs from economists, public‑health groups, veterinarians and attorneys general. Supreme Court victory (May 11 2023) – In National Pork Producers Council v. Ross, the Supreme Court upheld Prop 12 in a 5–4 decision, rejecting commerce‑clause challenges. Balk called it the most important legal case for animals and the decision “historic.” Post‑decision recap (May 15 2023) – Balk explained how careful drafting of the initiative and extensive briefs were crucial to success. Second challenge denied (Jul 1 2025) – The Supreme Court declined to revisit Prop 12, effectively ending industry efforts to overturn the law. Cal‑Maine’s $40M investment – The world’s largest egg producer announced $40 million to convert retired caged facilities into cage‑free barns, demonstrating industry adaptation.

EATS Act – In 2023 and 2024, opponents of Prop 12 introduced the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, which would prevent states from imposing production standards on out‑of‑state producers. TAB warned that the act would wipe out Prop 12 and dozens of farm‑animal protection laws. A House Agriculture Committee hearing in July 2025 featured only anti‑Prop 12 witnesses. Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act – In 2025 the EATS Act was refiled as the Save Our Bacon Act. TAB noted that the USDA released a biased study blaming Prop 12 for price increases and that anti‑Prop 12 forces mobilised on Capitol Hill. Congressional lobbying – TAB worked with allied lawmakers from both parties to prepare questions, organised letters opposing the EATS/SOB Act and flew Prop 12‑compliant farmers to Washington. They planned a major farmer fly‑in for October with a gestation crate demonstration and helped coordinate bipartisan letters led by Reps. Luna, Valadao, Garbarino, Fitzpatrick, Mace (Republicans) and Simon, Costa, McGovern (Democrats). Farmer mobilisation – In October 2025, TAB and allies brought 200 farmers to DC to meet more than 100 congressional offices, hold a press conference and stage a tractor rally around the Capitol【3920†L3952-L3971】. The event emphasised that many farmers support Prop 12 and oppose the EATS/SOB Act.

DOJ lawsuit (Jul 2025) – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Prop 12. Balk argued the suit lacked merit and noted that nearly twenty cases had already failed. Legal experts pointed out that price spikes were due to bird flu rather than cage‑free laws. State measures – Prop 12 built on earlier initiatives such as California’s Proposition 2 (2008), Florida’s ban on gestation crates (2002) and similar measures in Arizona and Massachusetts. Nine states have passed comparable confinement bans.

Date Source and context Reported cage‑free percentage ~Mar 2024 USDA monthly egg report; Balk noted that the U.S. reached a new high of >40 % cage‑free chickens, representing more than 100 million hens. >40 % Oct 9 2024 USDA announcement; TAB email titled “New cage‑free egg record”. 41.7 % of U.S. laying hens are cage‑free. Jun 2 2025 USDA report; TAB email “New cage‑free record”. 44.8 % cage‑free (~130 million hens). Jul 1 2025 USDA data cited in “Major win in the courts…”. 45.7 % cage‑free (new record). Jul 28 2025 Bloomberg Businessweek feature; quoting USDA monthly report. ~46 % of hens cage‑free; >130 million cage‑free hens. These figures show that cage‑free production has increased from about 3 % in 2008 to nearly 50 % in 2025. Reaching the 50 % threshold is seen as a tipping point where caging will become a minority practice.

McDonald’s – 100 % cage‑free eggs in the U.S.; 91 % group‑housed pork. Target – 58 % cage‑free eggs. Kroger – On track for 100 % fresh pork from group housing by 2025. Costco – >90 % cage‑free eggs and 100 % group‑housed fresh and private‑brand frozen pork. Wendy’s and Campbell Soup – 100 % group‑housed pork. Marriott – ~40 % cage‑free eggs in U.S. hotels. Hilton – 54 % cage‑free eggs in the Americas, 46 % in Europe/Middle East/Africa and 7 % in Asia Pacific. Hormel – Agreed to study and report prevalence of group‑housing in its supply chain and take actions to increase it. Denny’s – Reached 40 % cage‑free eggs a year early; will reach 100 % by end of 2025. General Mills – By end of 2023, 100 % of its pork was group‑housed and 80–85 % of its eggs cage‑free. IHOP/Applebee’s – Used 22 % cage‑free eggs in 2023 and later committed to 100 % group‑housed pork. PepsiCo – Confirmed that it will reach 100 % cage‑free eggs globally by 2025 and in Canada by the end of 2024. CKE (Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s) – Reported 65 % group‑housed pork and extended its cage‑free commitment globally. Sprouts – Already 100 % cage‑free eggs and group‑housed fresh pork; committed to convert processed pork to group‑housing by 2025. Royal Caribbean – 95 % cage‑free eggs, 99 % GAP‑certified chicken and 84 % group‑housed pork【3774†L3742-L3749】. Norwegian Cruise Lines – 79 % cage‑free eggs, 88 % GAP‑certified chicken and 51 % group‑housed pork【3774†L3751-L3753】. Hyatt – 91 % cage‑free eggs in U.S. company‑owned hotels and 70 % in U.S./Canada franchised hotels; 42 % gestation‑crate‑free pork【3774†L3849-L3853】.

TAB’s campaigns generated significant media attention, which in turn increased pressure on companies and policymakers. Key press highlights include: Washington Post (May 2023) – Quoted Balk on the Supreme Court victory: he called the decision “the final nail in the coffin for one of the cruelest forms of abuse”. Los Angeles Times (Jun 2023) – Featured Balk discussing how Prop 12 showed the pork industry could transition away from crates and later editorialised in support of TAB’s Walmart proposal. Associated Press (Jun 2023) – Quoted Balk saying the pork industry would transition smoothly as companies stop buying from crate‑using suppliers. Bloomberg (multiple articles) – Covered TAB’s shareholder activism at Shake Shack, food‑waste proposals, climate proxy wins and cage‑free success. Bloomberg Law reported on Coca‑Cola facing an investor bid to reduce food waste. Barron’s (Sept 2024) – Profiled TAB’s proposal at Starbucks urging an independent chair and discussed the broader trend away from combined chair/CEO roles. Forbes (Jan 2025) – Published a feature on farm‑animal corporate campaigning quoting Balk. Bloomberg Businessweek (Jul 2025) – Ran a major feature on the booming cage‑free egg market and credited activists like Balk for driving the shift. New York Times DealBook (Oct 2025) – Reported on TAB’s governance proposal at Target, noting that similar proposals had received ~40 % support previously【3920†L3920-L3929】. Politico (Aug 2025) – Covered the House Agriculture Committee hearing on the EATS Act and quoted pro‑Prop 12 farmers that TAB flew to DC. Chicago Sun Times – Featured Balk in a story about gestation crates, quoting him calling the practice indefensible. Bloomberg and Fortune – Covered TAB’s shareholder proposal exposing Shake Shack’s misleading chicken claims and climate proxy wins.

Shareholder activism can drive rapid corporate change. TAB’s strategy of investing in companies and filing shareholder proposals yielded commitments from dozens of major food companies to eliminate cages and crates. Two of the top three ESG proposals that passed in 2024 were TAB’s climate‑change resolutions, illustrating that well‑crafted proposals can succeed even when the vast majority fail. Cage‑free and crate‑free transitions are accelerating. The U.S. cage‑free egg percentage rose from ~3 % in 2008 to nearly 46 % in 2025. Corporate commitments, state laws and consumer demand are pushing the industry towards a tipping point where caged production becomes a minority practice. Prop 12 remains under attack but is holding. Despite dozens of lawsuits and legislative efforts (EATS/SOB Act), Prop 12 has withstood challenges at the Supreme Court and continues to influence markets globally. Chile’s hog industry and the world’s largest egg producer, Cal‑Maine, are adapting to comply. Activism goes beyond animal welfare. TAB addresses climate change, food waste and corporate governance, demonstrating that animal‑welfare advocates can influence broader ESG issues. Climate proxy wins at Jack in the Box and Wingstop show synergy between environmental and animal‑welfare goals. High‑profile media coverage amplifies impact. Quotes in major outlets (Washington Post, LA Times, Bloomberg, Barron’s, Businessweek, NY Times) raise public awareness and increase pressure on companies and lawmakers. Farmer voices are critical. TAB’s strategy of bringing Prop 12‑compliant farmers to Congress counteracts the narrative that all farmers oppose higher welfare standards. These emails show how a small team of activists can leverage investor status, legal victories and media attention to achieve sweeping changes for farm animals while confronting powerful industry and political opposition.