Factory Farming
Where was your dinner raised?
Factory farms, also known as CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feed Operations), are a streamlined approach to livestock farming. Reducing costs and production time, factory farmed meat, eggs, and dairy account for 99% of all farmed animals raised in the U.S.
While supporters stand by their efficiency, opponents believe the effects of CAFOs are negative. One farm can generate the waste equivalent of a small city, releasing toxins into the air and water. To speed growth, these often-confined animals are given antibiotics which are linked to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Green businessmen, activists, and traditional farmers have challenged factory farms to minimize future pollution, animal welfare violations, labor abuses, and threats to the public.