Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
“One of the most important issues
confronting agricultural communities in the
United States—perhaps the most important
issue—is the future structure of the livestock
industry. The issue is whether animals will
be raised on diversified, sustainable family
farms or produced in large, energy- and
capital-intensive confinement facilities such
as factory farms that concentrate the animals
and their wastes in vast quantities and
concentrate economic control in the hands of
absentee investors. At stake is the prosperity
and health of rural communities, access to
economic opportunity for farm and rural
families, the future of this country's rural
environment and far-reaching questions of
food safety and affordability. Family farmers
and other rural residents are upset, angry
and fighting back as factory farms pollute
air, water and soil; uproot social structures;
drive farmers out of business; and threaten
the quality of life.”
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—Brad Trom in
The Grand Forks Herald
degradation, however, animal factories deteriorate our health, dis-
mantle our quality of life, and devalue our properties.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that approximately
500 million tons of manure are produced by confined farm animals
every year. Based on this figure, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency estimates that “all confined animals generate 3 times more
raw waste than is generated by humans in the U.S.” Such massive
