Factory farms and Their Impact
There is a growing awareness of how our diets affect the environment, animals, and the economy. Factory Farming is a system of rearing livestock using intensive methods, by which poultry, pigs, or cattle are confined indoors under strictly controlled conditions. The industry is responsible for excessive land and water use, as well as 18 % of all GHG emissions (greenhouse gas).
Regardless of the abuse and environmental impact, “Animal agriculture” is the backbone of the economy because it produces cheap meat to consumers and employs approximately 700,000 workers in the U.S. Completely boycotting the industry is not an option, but switching what company you support is.
Growing consumer demand
Tyson is the largest poultry producer in the U.S. and one of the most notorious animal-abusing companies in history. Tyson, along with every other food manufacturer, runs on a system of supply and demand. In response to the overwhelming consumer demand, Tyson operates as a “factory farm”, or as Steve Poindexter puts it, a “mega-farm”. The Demand for meat has increased by almost 70 pounds per person from 1910–2010. This growing demand is what leads to mega-farming. Farms produce mass quantities of meat, dairy, and eggs all at a low cost; Consumers buy more and the companies must supply more.
Economic Impact
As Poindexter emphasized, “animal agriculture and all agriculture is extremely important [for the economy]…” As Americans, we are lucky to have fresh food at our fingertips. The animal agriculture industry is a big part of the economy because it employs millions and is constantly bringing in revenue. The scale of production on mega-farms is what makes them a sustainable business and what makes them more successful than the small, local farms. Poindexter explains that “larger-scale operations”, or factory farming works on a very efficient scale. He also points out that the animals are given well-rounded diets, probably better than most humans eat.
Additionally, huge meat companies, like Tyson, have steadily driven down the prices farmers receive for the livestock they raise, forcing farmers to get big or get out. This is what makes it impossible to boycott mega-farms all together; small scale farms cannot keep up with the overwhelming consumer demand. Local farmers are being run out by the monopoly agribusinesses. Small farms have been replaced by factory farms or mega-farms that pollute nearby air and water, and reduce the quality of life for neighbors. From an economic standpoint, mega-farming is the only practical solution to keeping up with consumer demand, however, is it ethical or environmental?
Ethical Concerns
The animal welfare in the meat, dairy and egg industry is notorious. The mega-farms try to maximize their output while minimizing cost. To do so and maintain cost efficiency agribusinesses try to use the least amount of land as possible, whether this on a cattle farm, dairy farm, pig farm egg mill or slaughterhouse. This results in tight, cramped and overcrowded living quarters for the animals. Over 20,000 chickens could be crammed in one egg warehouse. Male chicks cannot grow to produce eggs so they hold little value to industry and are often killed upon hatching.
Dairy cows are mechanically impregnated against their will in order to produce milk. After 9 months, they give birth; the hour old calf is then taken from the mother and -if male- sent to a veal farm where their muscle growth is stunted and they are force-fed until slaughtered at 16 weeks old. Female calves are sent into the same system that their mother came from until they are too worn out to produce milk, and either die from exhaustion or are slaughtered for cheap meat. Veal is a product of the dairy industry, therefore, dairy consumers inherently support the veal industry. Dairy cows and egg hens are often so worn-out and overworked by the time they are slaughtered, resulting in cheap meat.
Environmental Impact
Environmentalists have a problem with the animal agriculture industry because of the number of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere. The industry makes up about 18% of total emissions, falling behind transportation. In regards to the cattle methane emissions, “They [the animals] give off some gas or belch … now is that any more or any worse than the millions and millions of cars that are putting GHG out? I suspect not” (S. Poindexter, Agricultural Educator, 11/30/2019).
Aside from Greenhouse gas emissions, animal agriculture is responsible for over 70% of global deforestation. The fertile soil is needed to grow the animal feed to sustain the livestock, therefore deforestation occurs. As Poindexter highlighted, the animals actually get fed a pretty balanced and nutritious herbivore diet, better than what some people have. Along with extensive land use, livestock and poultry require a ton of water. To put this into perspective:
Be The Change: Intentional Consumerism
Poindexter made a good point: Farmers don’t intend on causing the animals great suffering, they just have to keep up with the consumer demand and factory farming is the only way to do it. Mega-farmers give the animals the best food and treatment they can. It is important to explore and understand the mentality of those who work in the industry.
Environmentalists and animal rights activists are entitled to their opinions and so are the workers on the other end of the podium. Animal agriculture workers should not be demonized; their employment and therefore, the production of animal products depends entirely on consumer demand.
We must look at the bigger picture: without the demand, there would be no need to have mass factory farming. From an ethical standpoint, this does not justify how the animals are treated. However, this all depends on demand. Eliminating meat consumption worldwide is nearly impossible, but allocating where our meat is sourced can decrease the amount of suffering, like buying grass fed beef from local farms rather than factory farms. If we want to see change in poor animal welfare, we have to be intentional and stop supporting an industry that inflicts it.
