Factory Farms: A Grim Reality of Animal Cruelty

Animal Cruelty: Factory Farms
For everyone, from AHS student Ryele Thompson

Did you know that 97% of the 10 billion animals tortured and killed each year are farm animals, that mainly come from factory farms? It is said that factory farming is the biggest form of animal cruelty on Earth. In a factory farm in Ohio, workers killed injured pigs by hanging them on a forklift to slowly be strangled; the practice is defended by the pork industry. Many can argue that these animals in these farms are bred a certain way, and that the animals don’t have feelings, but the farming techniques cause stress on all the animals, health risks for both the animal and humans, and many farmers do not even benefit from the animals they raise. Many can argue that “Factory farms aren’t that bad. Have you seen the commercials? The

Studies done by the Food and Water Watch estimates that the manure produced in 2012 was 369 million tons, thirteen times more than the 312 million people in the continental United States alone. Too much manure also cause problems with the water and air around the farm. Toxins and bacteria from the manure get into the from drain off and being sprayed into the air, causing illnesses and even death. Aside from the issues with manure, in Iowa alone, unsanitary conditions at two egg companies made a recall on more than a half a million Salmonella-tainted eggs in 2010. The consumers that are eating the dairy, egg, and meat products would be likely to expose themselves to foodborne bacteria like E coli, Salmonella and other types too. In studies, the toxic exposure from animal waste and brain damage and depression in humans share a link , along with miscarriage and birth defects in women from contaminated water. Animals suffer from diseases as well for example, obesity, mad cow disease and MRSA; other diseases like Salmonella and E coli are also a