#151 Meat Money: Why Do We Still Have Factory Farming?

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 151

Meat Money: Why Do We Still Have Factory Farming? 

In last weeks episode I discussed how important it is for us to know the origin of our food. Such knowledge empowers us to not only make healthier choices about what we eat but also to make choices that supports a sustainable food supply.  That said, far too many of us are still completely disconnected from how our food is produced and what happens in order for us to have food on the shelves at the supermarket. 

This week I am going to continue that trend from a completely different angle. What I want to do is take a look at factory meat production, how it came into existence, the pros and cons and, like it or not, why we still need it. So, please join me for an informative discussion which is called Meat Money: Why Do We Still Have Factory Farming? 

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E 151 which is called Meat Money: Why Do We Still Have Factory Farming? 

But before we get to that I want to talk about the good news story of the week. And this time it is something health related. And this good news story is about Alzheimer’s Disease. Now this story touches me perhaps more than most because my mother died from Alzheimer’s 

Now there are a number of things we can do to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s. Things such as prevent and manage high blood pressure, maintain a healthy body weight, be physically active, quit smoking, and avoid excessive drinking, among other things.

But, researchers recently found that regular exercise is directly related to a reduction in amyloid deposits in the brain that are responsible for Alzheimer’s. Exercise causes the release of a specific hormone that reduce amyloid deposits.  

This discover may very well help to prevent the disease and help some of the 10.7% of people that already have Alzheimer’s.

So I think it is interesting that yet again it is found that there is something we can incorporate into our lives that costs nothing, has little if any impact on the environment, is sustainable, healthy, and prevents disease. And that is regular exercise.  

So, let’s move along to this week’s episode that focuses on factory farming. 

Many people around the world celebrate the holidays with food. At least in the US, we spend $14.2 billion per year. Nearly 46 million turkeys are consumed at Thanksgiving. On average we consume 7,000 calories per person on holidays and 6,000 calories in snack foods per person on super bowl Sunday. But have you ever bothered to ask yourself where all this food comes from and how do we get it? 

It would be a sign of significant progress if most of us knew the answer to that question. While 70% of us say purchase decisions are affected by how food is grown and raised, 72% of us know nothing or very little about farming and ranching. 

Furthermore most people in the U.S. have never visited a farm, 54% of us have never seen a cow face to face, petted a pig, or held a chicken. This distance from the production of our food helps to promote the belief among the public that animals on farms are cage-free, peacefully graze in meadows, and are farmed in a sustainable manner. But the reality for the vast majority of animals on farms is much, much different.

How We Get Fed?

Have you ever ask yourself where all your food comes from. Have you ever ask yourself how our nation gets fed? Well, let’s first get a perspective on this by looking at a few numbers. 

Globally humanity consume 74 billion chickens per year. In the US we consume 8 billion per year. The Brits consume around 900 million. And the Australians consume 600 million annually. 

Globally we consume 130 billion pounds of beef annually. In the US we account for 30 billion pounds of that. The Brits consume 2.2 billion pounds or about 1 billion kg. The Australian consumes about 1.2 billion pounds or about 5.5 million kg. 

Global 114.8 million tons of pork is produced. In the US we consume 29.5 kg per capita. In the UK it is 21.1 kg per capita. And the Aussies consume 24.2 kg per capita. 

In other words, that is a whole heck of a lot of meat. And this does not even account for other sources of meat such as lamb, goat, turkey, buffalo, and maybe even rabbits. Additionally we consume 143.8 million tons of sea food annually. 

So, where does all this food come from and how do we get it? The answer to that is factory farming. 

What Is Factory Farming? 

Factory farming is one form of intensive industrialized agriculture that is widely used as a means of maximizing efficiency in animal production. This typically means thousands of animals are raised on one site to produce one product. For example, eggs, milk, cheese, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, etc. All of which are produced for the sake of human consumption. 

Another term for factory farming is concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. The USDA defines this as an intensive animal feeding operations in which over 1,000 animal units are confined for over 45 days a year in an area without vegetation. This typically means 1,000 cattle, 700 mature dairy cattle, 2,500 pigs, 55,000 turkeys, 82,000 laying hens, etc. Feed must be delivered to the animals rather than allowing them to graze. 

As you can imagine such a husbandry situation produces a lot of pollution. But I am going to get to that. 

When and How Did Factory Farming Start? 

And as I always like to ask, how did we get here? 

New developments in transportation and refrigeration abetted in the development of industrial scale animal slaughter. In the late 19th century the Chicago Meat Packing industry pioneered this process. Additionally in the mid to early 20th century we saw the invention of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. 

But factory farming as we know it today in the United States started with the industrial raising of chickens. As early as the 1920s producers started to experiment with keeping large numbers of animals confined in a small area. This of course required the delivery of large amounts of food.  

In the 1930s factory farming was introduced to minimize cost and maximize profit. In the 1940s and 1950s antibiotics began to be added to animal feed in order to keep them alive longer while being raised in a confined environment. By the 1950s chickens were packed in housing units by the thousands. Then in the 1970s government policy started to favor factory farming.  

This practice has now spread to countries around the world. And that is especially true for developing economies such as Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India and others. Between 2008 and 2013 the number of animals being produced increased by 200 million. Presently the US has over 50,000 mega facilities, the UK has over 1,000 mega farms. The largest farm in the world is in China. It has over 100,000 dairy cattle and covers 22.5 million acres. Presently, over 90% of all farmed animals in the world spend their lives on factory farms.

And if this sounds appalling, then you must realize that the industrialization of agriculture is driven primarily by one thing: demand for meat and animal products. In 2021 the global value of meat products was estimated to be 897 billion US dollars. By 2027 that value is projected to be 1354 billion US dollars. 

Additionally, factory farming is essentially the only way to keep up with the global food supply. It is interesting to note that the demand for commercially produced, affordable meat is decreasing. However, the demand is still high because global population continues to grow. The simple fact is that people just like meat. 

And while there are number of alternatives to factory farming, there are several reasons why those alternatives at not developed to scale at this point. 

Logistics

The main barrier is that of logistics. Free range farming is high maintenance and expensive. Free range animals require much more land, water, food, and labor, as well as other resources. These animals also eat more because they expend more energy. They actually have to be monitored carefully to make sure they remain suitable for human consumption. 

Grass fed and pasture raised animals have the same concerns. They gain weight much slower than animals eating a concentrated feed designed to promote rapid maturation. Additionally, rounding up and transporting free range animals requires manpower, time, and fuel. 

These logistical challenges have to be consider simply because enough food has to be produced for 7.8 billion people globally. Non-commercial farming operations just cannot keep up with the demand. Factory farming focuses on high production and low cost above all else and non-commercial alternatives significantly reduce efficiency and profit. 

So, like it or not, to some degree the world still needs factory farming in order to feed the population because people like meat. But just like anything else, our convenience also comes with a down side.

The Negative Impacts of Factory Farming

Obviously factory farming has resulted in a huge increase in the number of farmed animals because this is the only way to meet the demand. But in some respects the price for that increased productivity is quite high. Consumers reap the direct benefits of lower production costs and lower prices but this does not take into account animal cruelty, the environmental impacts, health risks, as well as the social impacts of such farming methods. 

Animal Cruelty

First off, factory farming requires keeping large numbers of animals in confinement in a relatively small area. Many of them hardly have the room to even turn around or lay down. Such conditions tend to be extremely crowded, unsanitary, and stressful. Any animal of course will have adverse reactions to such conditions. Consequently, certain alterations have to be performed to keep them from injuring themselves and others. Cattle have their horns removed, sheep and pigs have their tails docked to prevent chewing and self mutilation, chickens have portions of their beaks cut off to prevent pecking and self mutilation. Dairy cattle are repeatedly bred to keep them producing milk. 

Environmental Impact

Additionally the environmental impacts of factory farming are tremendous. Factory farms release tremendous amounts of green house gasses including methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide. These gases are produced at every stage of animal production from fertilizers applied to crops for feeding the farmed animals to the manure and waste production of the animals themselves and finally transportation for slaughter. 

And on top of that, the demand for the land needed to graze these cattle, as well as the land needed to raise the corn and soy needed to feed them is one of the principle drivers of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. 

Human Health Impact

Beyond the cruelty and environmental impacts, there are also significant humans health concerns. Poor sanitations and waste management leads to contamination of the food with E. Coli and Salmonella. Every year in the US 48 million people become ill from food borne illness, almost 130,000 people are hospitalized and approximately 3,000 people die annually. More than 90% of these food borne illnesses are caused from various types of bacteria.  

In addition to that, in the US alone it is estimated that the waste from factory farming has polluted at least 14,000 miles of rivers and over 90,000 acres of lakes and ponds nationwide. 

How Did We Eat Before

So, all of this may make you question how did we eat before factory farming. And I think the answer to that will make you appreciate the need to buy local. 

Prior to the industrialization of agriculture farmers engaged in diversified crop and animal production. Animals were allowed to free graze. Farmers made their own decisions about the crops and animals that they raised. At the time, there was no means of refrigerating large quantities of food for transportation. Consequently, food produced on the the farm was distributed to local communities. Food was kept local and in the local economy.  And this is much of what I experienced when I was growing up in Tennessee and Georgia. Local food with minimal impact and little dependence on a supermarket. 

How Can We Change This? 

Factory farming obviously has its benefits. But benefits are never free and everything comes at a cost. While factory farming has long met the demand for food, the question becomes whether or not it is the best answer in our present day.

In the end I truly hope that you are now starting to realize the importance of knowing the source of your own food. After all, our food choices account for approximately 35% of our individual environmental impact. On a global basis 20% of direct greenhouse gas emissions are from food and agriculture. So, clearly our diets have a critical role in supporting the international mission to minimize the most severe affects of climate change. 

So, what are steps that we can all take to do our part? As is usually the case, living sustainably is about living very deliberately. There are some practices that you can easily adopt to help mitigate the problems associated with factory farming. 

Educate Yourself and Keep Learning

By far the best thing you can do is to simply educate yourself about your food. Start learning about various sources of proteins, which ones are the healthiest, and which ones have the least environmental impact. This is the only way you will truly be able to make better choices.

Furthermore, knowledge is the best advocate for sustainable farming methods. Knowing as much as possible about factory farming and the alternatives to such practices, is the best way to go down the road to making better choices that will eventually influence the market place. This is also the best way to make some positive choices without changing your entire lifestyle. 

Moderate Your Meat and Dairy Consumption

The next easiest and most impactful thing each of us can do is to moderate our meat consumption. So eat less meat regardless of the source. Enjoy other sources of proteins such as peas, beans, lentils, oats, nuts, brown rice and other whole grains. 

This does not mean you have to become vegan or vegetarian. But, consider the fact that our consumer choices drive the market place. By limiting your intake of animal derived ingredients and products and focusing on a greater number of plant-based foods, the demand for animal based products is reduced and the demand for plant based products increases. This in turn encourages companies to shift away from animal products because of consumer demand. 

Consequently, these companies will start of support and create more plant-based products. And this is exactly what happened with plant-based alternatives to meat. There was a time when you never saw these products in the supermarket and now they are commonly available. 

Purchase Locally

The next thing you can do is to purchase locally. At least you will have knowledge of where the meat comes from as well as how the animals are raised and cared for. If factory farming with its high carbon footprint is a put off for you, then acquire your food from a local source where you can ask questions about their farming practices is a good step toward being more sustainable.  

This is in fact what we do. We acquire elk meat from a local ranch. We go directly to the ranching operation where we are able to meet the family and discuss their practices. Consequently, we have made new friends and feel as if we have a sustainable source of meat that comes from animals that are humanely raised and cared for. 

Moderate Your Meat Choices

And as I have stated before, I have no intention of becoming a vegetarian or vegan. However, I have not only reduced my meat consumption, I have also changed my choices. Since we do have a sustainable source of meat, when we want to eating something else, we rarely purchase beef. 

It is well known that beef and lamb have the greatest environmental impact. Pork is next in line. Seafood, turkey, and chicken are the best choices. But, of all the meat sources, chicken definitely has the least impact. 

Eat a Variety of Foods

Meat has long been the center of attention on the American plate. But it is far healthier to eat a large variety of foods. You don’t have to be a vegetarian but you can simply eat more veggies. By making meat the side dish instead of the main course, you can still enjoy it and at the same time reduce your meat consumption. 

Waste Less Food

My next tip is of course to waste less food. You have by now no doubt heard me mention before the horrendous amount of food we waste. Approximately 40% of the food in our supply chain goes to waste. Choosing to have a zero food waste lifestyle is by far one of the easiest things you can do for the planet and never change anything about your life. 

Summary

I certainly hope after the last two episodes you are starting to realize the tremendous value of knowing where your food comes from. One thing is certain, meat production is not going to go away any time soon. Perhaps even factory farming is here to stay to some degree because people simply like meat and the meat eaters of the world far out number the vegetarians and vegans.  

Additionally, being a vegetarian or vegan is just not for everyone. Meat and dairy are simply excellent sources of protein and the majority of the world’s population relies on animal products in one form or another. Often times vegan alternatives carry a price tag that is out of reach for people that exist on a marginal budget. 

But instead of turning a blind eye to the negative impacts of factory farming, not to mention the public health risks, we can all take very simple steps that will make a significant difference without completely altering our lifestyles. 

We first need to start by educating ourselves. Then we can moderate our meat and dairy consumption as well as changing our primary choices in the meats that we consume most frequently. If we must eat meat then purchase locally so that you can ask questions about their sustainable practices. Eating a variety of foods instead of making meat the main course. And finally, make it your primary mission to waste as little food as possible. 

Living sustainable just doesn’t happen magically. It is often about living deliberately and making very deliberate choices. By doing so, we can change the market demand to something that is healthier, more planet friendly, and more humane for the animals we depend on for our existence. 

Besides, we need to get to the point to where potatoes and French fries are not our primary vegetables. And the 16 million people that think chocolate milk comes from brown cows need to realize that was just a joke. 

This is your host Patrick signing off until next week. Until then, always remember to live sustainable because this is how we build a better future.