“Inspiration for the Farmer, Families, their Land & the Planet”
Rancher Advocacy Program
Once in a generation there’s a convergence of the right people and the right idea, and these elements come together at the right time and in the right place. Rowdy Girl Sanctuary (RGS) and Rancher Advocacy Program (RAP) are shining examples of this convergence. Rowdy Girl Sanctuary was born from a rancher’s wife’s love for a calf, Rowdy Girl. Feeding and caring for Rowdy Girl opened Renee’s eyes and heart to the land and the other animals who live on it. Renee King-Sonnen, founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, created the world’s first successful cattle ranch transition to a non-profit sanctuary model. Her husband, Tommy, joined RGS as co-founder once he transitioned to vegan. On July 18, 2018, Renee and Rowdy Girl Sanctuary launched the Rancher Advocacy Program (RAP), a program that inspires farmers and ranchers to consider alternatives to animal agriculture, and provides them a hub of resources to do so if they choose.
RAP also educates the public on the horrors of animal agriculture on daily social media posts.
The Rancher Advocacy Program is a global resource that will accelerate farm transitions by providing inspiration and education for ranchers considering transition away from animal ag.
RAP programming began after the Rowdy Girl story went viral on the CBS Evening News in 2016. Ranchers and their families consistently sought me out about their feelings regarding their cows, their traditions, other family members etc. A unique niche began to develop in the animal rights movement because of these conversations that led me to realize that I was more than an animal rights activist, I was also a Rancher Advocate.
The heartbeat of RAP is the connections I’ve made with ranchers and animal farmers. I’m able to reach that place deep inside where we have common ground. Where we:
- Love animals and kill them
- Love the land, and we destroy it too
- Love our families yet pass down generations of suffering through devastating animal agriculture.
What is the Rancher Advocacy Program (RAP)?
The Rancher Advocacy Program is a platform that addresses complex issues that arise when cattle rancher and/or animal farmer family members:
- Experience emotional conflict regarding the animals they are raising for slaughter and the personal role they currently play in the larger system in which they and their families participate;
- See the reasons – health, ethical, environmental, financial, social – for abandoning the practice of raising animals for slaughter and want to transition away from animal agriculture and the practices associated with factory and family farms.
