Conference History

In the summer of 1981, Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) helped launch the U.S. animal rights movement by bringing its leading authorities together at a conference in Allentown, PA. With very few exceptions, FARM has been stewarding our movement’s national conferences ever since. In recent years, the Animal Rights National Conference has grown into the world’s largest and longest-running animal rights event. It attracts nearly 2,000 attendees representing 90 organizations from a dozen countries, with 100 exhibitors and 170 speakers presenting in 80 sessions.

The Animal Rights National Conference is dedicated to the vision that animals have the right to live free from human exploitation. It provides a forum where the relative merits of the multiple paths, strategies, and tactics for advancing that vision may be aired in an atmosphere of mutual respect. It offers eye-opening glimpses into animal exploitation, useful activist guidance, encouraging inspiration, and unparalleled networking opportunities.