Factory Farming = Major Problem

Factory farming remains a growing problem throughout the United States. With the population continuing to grow, a pressure has accumulated to feed the massive jumps in population. Unfortunately, factory farming has developed into a standard way of farming that has terrible consequences for both the animal and consumer. Within the past few years, “the number of factory farms [have] jumped by 47%” (“Factory”).   With this statistic, many topics have been aroused about this specific issue such as animal welfare, human health, and food/factory cleanliness.

So what are factory farms? Factory farms are businesses/ factories in which animals are only viewed as products for consumption and live in horrific conditions.   Like every business in America, farming remains under the power of the American government.  The government regulations state that in order “to obtain permits… the farm [must] have at least 100,000 chickens, 55,000 turkeys, 2,500 hogs, 1,000 beef cattle, or 700 milk cows” (“Factory”).  With these shockingly high numbers, the living conditions of these animals have to be extremely poor.

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Animal Welfare

Chickens have some of the worst living conditions because of their small size. “The average egg-producing chicken… is allotted about as much space as half a sheet of notebook paper”, states the author from the article “Life on a Factory Farm”.  The chickens that live on these factory farms are also “debeak[ed]” in order to prevent “aggressive” behavior and “fatal[ities]” among the egg-layers (“Life”).  Because of the extremely cramped cages, these chickens are forced to live in unsanitary living conditions. By stuffing these farms with thousands of animals in small pens, the sanitary conditions of these birds remain completely forgotten. Feces line the bottom of each pen which unfortunately causes high concentrations of ammonia. Because the birds are constantly inhaling this harmful toxin, we, as consumers, are eating this unhealthy meat.   

 

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In addition to chickens, turkeys, beef and dairy cattle and swine also greatly suffer from factory farming.  Beef Cattle differ from chickens because they begin their life on open pasture land; it’s not until they reach a certain age that they are taken to feed lots. Unfortunately, feed lots provide these cattle with a terrible quality of life. Once they reach these farms, the cattle are stuffed in pens with many other steers and heifers in which there is no fresh grass and they are standing in at least ankle deep mud/feces.  Additionally, the cows are fed “growth hormones and extremely rich diets during their time at the feed lot in order to ready them for slaughter” (“Life”).  

Hogs are treated likewise to cattle.  At the beginning of their lives, the “piglets are removed from the care of their mother as soon as one week after birth” (“Life”).  Unfortunately, for the piglets, they lose valuable time with their mother, and they do not receive all the nutrients their mothers’ milk provides them.  Then they are thrown into “large pens with hundreds of other young pigs” where they have no room to freely roam around. 

 Dairy cattle luckily have a little better life than some other factory farmed animals.  Although the calves are taken away from their mother at a very young age, they have more room to move in their pens and are better taken care of.  Although factory farmed dairy cattle do not have a picture-perfect life, at least their future is brighter than those of meat producing livestock.  Tragically, animals suffer every moment from these horrific situations, and it is up to us, the consumer, to immediately put an end to the extreme abuse.    

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Cold-Hearted Thoughts...

                Even though animal welfare remains nonexistent on factory farms, some people believe that providing excessive quantities of food remains the priority.   Because these animals are produced at such high quantities and rates, the price of the meat stays at a low cost.  Justine Brian proposes a provoking question, “Why would we want to make our food more expensive?”  Although this remains a fairly good point for people with financial instability, if we were to come together and buy free range products, the price of this meat would eventually become cheaper because of the greater demand.   As Brian continues with her allegations, she considers these animals to be merely a consumption product.  Some believe that “chickens are food and producing food efficiently is not unethical” (Brian).   This statement however, remains a cold-hearted one.

Health Concerns

                Not only are the awful living conditions on factory farms affecting the animals, they can also have a drastic effect on human health as well.  Because of the sheer quantities of animals within confined spaces, waste remains a constant health threat.    “Pathogens” from animal feces are “contaminating water supplies and recreation waters” (“Agriculture”).  “Bacteria” from the runoff water supply of the factory farms, continues to contaminate “rivers and streams”, which infects “wildlife, and animal feeding operations” (“Agriculture”).  This runoff additionally causes diseases to occur in local drinking water as well.  With some of these diseases containing extremely dangerous bacteria and viruses, contaminated water may be fatal to both humans and animals.  

                Unfortunately, factory farms also affect human health in other ways as well.  Because “toxic gases” form in the air from the animal feces, dangerous particles such as “bacteria, fungi, and viruses” become airborne (“Industrial”).   These particles cause significant public health threats.  Among these threats, “respiratory irritation” remains the largest concern especially to those who are elderly and those who have "asthma and other respiratory illnesses” (“Industrial”).   With incredibly disturbing news like this, people need to stand up against this issue, if not for the animals’ well being, for human kinds’.  There is great power in numbers, and who knows, in a few years,  both the welfare of humans and animals may have better health. 

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Coming to a Close...

                Consumers remain blinded by picture-perfect labels that claim the animals that produce meat or dairy goods graze on healthy green pastures, when in fact these animals are smashed together in small, dark and dirty places.  Customers become increasingly naïve to the facts of factory farming for one of two reasons: either they are uneducated on the issue or they simply do not care.  Both of these circumstances need to be addressed immediately.  Through the help of general education of the issue and acts of persuasion, people around the United States and the world will be able to cease this horrible problem.  

                Factory farming has created unnecessary harm to both animals and humans.  Whether the problem is the actual living conditions of the animals or the health of the consumer, factory farming has played a negative role in the production of food.   When people begin to realize that free range is a positive alternative to buy our protein and dairy products, not only will human health see a positive improvement, so will animal welfare.  By purchasing products from healthy animals, consumers can be reassured that they too will see more than gratifying results in their health as well. Overall, being aware of this issue will be the key to seeing improvement in this major issue.  

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Works Cited

Works Cited

"Agriculture Threatens Water Quality" by Marc Ribaudo and Robert Johansson.Water. Jacqueline Langwith, Ed. Opposing Viewpoints® Series. Greenhaven Press, 2010. Marc Ribaudo and Robert Johansson, Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators, 2006 Edition. Washington, DC: Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2006.

"Factory Farms." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 31 Jan. 2003. Web. 2 Dec. 2011.

"Industrial Food Animal Production Is a Growing Public Health Threat" by Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production. Factory Farming Debra A. Miller, Ed. Current Controversies Series. Greenhaven Press, 2010. Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America. Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production, 2008.

"Life on a Factory Farm (sidebar)." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 31 Jan. 2003. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. 

"Providing Humans with Quality Food Is More Important than Animal Welfare" by Justine Brian. Factory Farming Debra A. Miller, Ed. Current Controversies Series. Greenhaven Press, 2010. Justine Brian, "Who Gives a Cluck About Broiler Chicken?" Spiked, January 8, 2008.