🐶 Sit. Stay. Eat.

Hello! Lena here, staff writer at Modern Farmer.

We have another great lineup of new stories for you this week, from a graphic illustration that continues our series on community opposition to factory farms, to a profile of an Alaskan farmer demystifying affordable cold storage, and more.

But one piece in particular really surprised me. Around here, we spend a lot of time exploring the transparency and sustainability of the food that goes onto our dinner plates—but what about the food that goes into our dogs’ bowls? When I read our feature story this week, I was surprised to learn about the myriad supply chain mysteries of dog food. If you love your dog and care about where their food comes from, it’s worth asking: Is there a way to make healthier dog food that won’t burden the planet so much?

The pet food industry traditionally relies on factory farm byproducts for its ingredients, a practice the industry touts as more sustainable as it produces less waste and cheaper food. But dog owners distrust this mysterious supply chain.

Also fresh this week

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next week!

~ Lena

Weekly Action | Interested in sustainable pet ownership? Learn how to build a backyard dog poop composter, featured in our recent story about the environmental impact of dog waste.

Hungry for more? Check out the Modern Farmer Solutions Hub for stories that feature progress and innovation from across the food system.