Photo credit:
PETA/GoVeg.com
Factory farming is the practice of raising farm animals in high-density confinement in order to produce as much meat, eggs or milk at the lowest possible cost. Factory farming relies on economies of scale, modern machinery, biotechnology and global trade. This industrial approach to farming resembles factory production and regards animals and the natural world as mere commodities to be exploited for profit. This attitude has led to institutionalized animal cruelty, environmental destruction, natural resources depletion, and increased animal and human health risks.
Antibiotics and pesticides (with negative effects for both the animals they are given to and the humans who eat the animal products) are required in order to mitigate the disease and pestilence exacerbated by these crowded living conditions. According to the Humane Society of the United States, the chicken, egg, turkey and pork industries tend to be far more abusive to animals than the beef industry. Choosing cage-free or free range animal products and adopting a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle helps reduce animal suffering.
There is a continuing debate over the benefits and risks of factory farming. Issues include the efficiency of food production; animal welfare; whether factory farming is essential in order to feed a growing global human population; environmental impact; animal and human health risks. No federal law protects farm animals from cruelty, and most states exempt customary agricultural practices—no matter how abusive—from animal cruelty statutes.
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