They Called Her a Bioterrorist. She Won Them Over, Anyways. (with Leah Garcés) (Ep.37)

The Simple Heart w/ Wayne Hsiung

Leah Garcés has convinced numerous factory farms to give up the business of killing animals and transition to plant-based agriculture. And shares the secrets to this remarkable work in this conversation.

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More on Leah’s books:

“Transfarmation: The Movement to Free Us from Factory Farming”(new release on 9/17/2024):

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/757628/transfarmation-by-leah-garces/

“GRILLED: Turning Adversaries into Allies to Change the Chicken Industry” (released on 9/3/2019): https://mercyforanimals.org/grilled/

Follow Leah, Transfarmation, and Mercy for Animals - links below.

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The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org!

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Chapters:

Chapter 1) 00:00-18:38 Intro, how Leah builds relationships with adversaries, meeting farmer Craig Watts & others in the industry, & communicating about the system

Chapter 2) 18:39-29:45 Meditation & self-care practices, Leah going on a silent meditation retreat, & finding perspective as an activist

Chapter 2) 29:46-36:00 Leah’s emotional journey as an activist & advice to other activists

Chapter 3) 36:01-51:52 Beginning The Transfarmation Project (link below) & farmers stuck in the system

Chapter 4) 51:53-1:01:56 Farmers finding The Transfarmation Project, communication with farmers, & activists’ self-judgment & judging other

Chapter 5) 1:01:57-1:14:26 Leah bearing witness to chickens on farms/warehouses, Leah meeting slaughterhouse workers, moral injuries of workers, & the public view of domesticated animals

Chapter 6) 1:14:27-1:18:24 Empathy for farmers trapped in the animal agriculture system

Chapter 7) 1:18:25-1:24:47 The Faaborg Family Transfarmation from pig farming to mushroom farming in Iowa (NYT article link below), Wayne’s last non-vegan meal,

Chapter 8) 1:24:48-1:27:03 Final thoughts: Leah advice to activists, buy Leah’s book (links below), & follow The Transfarmation Project & Mercy for Animals (links below)

Chapter 9) 1:27:04-1:27:20 Outro video - Thank you for watching! Please Subscribe. Acknowledgments to the Podcast Team: Joe Allman, Adam Durand, & Chloe Leffakis

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NYT article: “Life After Factory Farming: 'The Longer They're Out, the Happier They Are.’”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/29/climate/factory-farming-transfarmation-project.html

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Follow Leah:

Website: https://leahgarces.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahgarces/

XTwitter: https://x.com/leah_garces

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leah.garces

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahgarces/

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Follow The Transfarmation Project:

Website: https://thetransfarmationproject.org/

Links: https://linkin.bio/thetransfarmationproject/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetransfarmationproject/

XTwitter: https://x.com/transfarmations

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTransfarmationProject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTransfarmationProject

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thetransfarmationproject/

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Follow Mercy for Animals:

Website: https://www.MercyForAnimals.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mercyforanimals

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mercyforanimals/

XTwitter: https://x.com/MercyForAnimals

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mercyforanimals_us

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mercyforanimals

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mercyforanimals

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mercy-for-animals

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Books Mentioned:

“The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kolk

“Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker