Industrial Animal Production vs. Pastured Alternatives
BACK TO: Food System Sustainability Issues
Streamlined processing and standardization, typical of the evolution of industrial pursuits, has resulted in farms that are easier to run, with fewer and often less-highly-skilled employees, and a greater output of uniform animal products. However, there are unintended consequences of this type of animal production. These include contributing to the increase in the pool of antibiotic-resistant bacteria because of the overuse of antibiotics; air quality problems; the contamination of rivers, streams, and coastal waters with concentrated animal waste; animal welfare problems, mainly as a result of the extremely close quarters in which the animals are housed; and significant shifts in the social structure and economy of many farming regions throughout the country.
Industrial farm animal production systems are largely unregulated, and many practices common to this method of production threaten public health, the environment, animal health and well-being, and rural communities. Many of the problems associated with IAFP are unintentional, but that does not mitigate the need to move forward in a positive direction. Failure to address these issues will only result in a further lack of confidence in the animal agriculture industry, increased environmental damage, worsening public health, dismal animal welfare, and a grave outlook for rural communities. In this age of increased awareness of the need for economically and environmentally sustainable endeavors, animal agriculture cannot be left behind.
– Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production
- Mother Earth News
What You Need to Know About the Meat You Eat
Shocking News About Meat
- USDA Economic Research Service
The Transformation of U.S. Livestock Agriculture: Scale, Efficiency, and Risks
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production
“Putting Meat on The Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America”
Executive Summary
Full Report
- Pew Charitable Trusts
Human Health and Industrial Farming: Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Animals
- Union of Concerned Scientists
CAFOs Uncovered: The Untold Costs of Confined Animal Feeding Operations
Hogging It!: Estimates of Antimicrobial Abuse in Livestock
- Food and Water Watch
Turning Farms into Factories
The Trouble with Smithfield: A Corporate Profile
Factory Farm Pollution in the United States Interactive Map
- Centers for Disease Control
Factsheet About Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
- Public Citizen
Why Oppose Food Irradiation?
What’s In the Beef? Scientists Question the Safety of Irradiated Ground Beef
- Food Animal Concerns Trust
Fact Sheets and Newsletters
- Farm Sanctuary
Factory Farming Issues pages on ten topic areas
- Egg Industry The Hard-Boiled Truth: Modern Egg Production in the United States
Pastured Alternatives
- Eatwild
The #1 Site for Grassfed Food and Facts
- Heritage Foods USA
Exists to promote independent family farms, humane production, genetic diversity and traceability.
- Union of Concerned Scientists
Greener Pastures: How Grass-fed Beef and Milk Contribute to Healthy Eating
Greener Eggs and Ham: The Benefits of Pasture-Raised Swine, Poultry, and Egg Production
- Foodroutes Briefing Sheet
Pasture-raised Dairy and Meat Products are Good for You and the Environment
- Eating Fresh Publications
The Advantages of Pasture Raised Foods
- New York Times Op-Ed by James McWilliams
Free Range Trichinosis
- Animal Welfare Approved
Program and food label promoting the well-being of animals and the sustainability of humane family farms
- American Grassfed Association
Producer Member Listings by State
- Grazin’ Angus Acres, Ghent, NY (NYC Greenmarket vendor)
- Fleisher’s Meat, Kingston, NY (delivers to NYC and Brooklyn)
