Modern Agriculture has made it possible to grow an abundance of food to feed people across the world. These farms however reach efficiency through ways that effect the earth in devastating ways. Richard Manning, an environmental journalist, thoroughly addresses the many issues involved with modern agriculture in his essay, “The Oil We Eat: Following the Food Chain Back to Iraq”. Richard Pollan, a Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism, finds solutions to these problems in a place called Polyface farms that uses a traditional version of farming. Polyface reaches a different type of efficiency to meet our food production needs by handling the issues of animal treatment, fertilizer runoff, and the use of antibiotics on animals in …show more content…
One of the most abused animals on these farms are pigs; Pollan reveals that, “Farmers ‘dock,’ or snip off, the tails at birth, a practice that makes a certain twisted sense if you follow the logic of industrial farming efficiency on a hog farm… A normal pig would fight off his molester, but a demoralized pig has stopped caring.” (Pollan, 350). It may seem smart for industrial farms to be able to dominate their pigs without them fighting back but there is another way. Polyface farms are animal friendly, therefore, care about the happiness of their livestock. “Pig happiness is simply the by-product of treating pigs as pigs rather than as ‘protein machine with flaws’-flaws such as pigs tails and a tendency, when emiserated, to get stressed.” (Pollan, 351). Even the larger animals Manning informs us that, “The cattle spend their adult life packed shoulder to shoulder in a space not much bigger than their bodies, up to their knees in shit, being stuffed with grain and a constant stream of antibiotics to prevent the disease this sort of confinement invariably engenders.” (Manning, 272). These farmers have only one clear goal, to produce as much food as they can in the smallest amount of time. They do not care what must occur to achieve this such as cow cruelty or any other animal mistreatment since they are only seen as unfinished products. However, at Polyface Farms, …show more content…
For farmers to meet the demands of the people they must do as needed to their crops to make them fresher, brighter, and grow quicker. Fertilizer does that for the farmers as well as keep their land looking fresh and green and that helps them to reach food production needs which is a good thing. However, much is wasted and it can leave catastrophic results to our water and selves. “Rainfall and irrigation water inevitably washes the nitrogen from fields to creeks and streams, which flows into rivers, which floods into the ocean. This explains why the Mississippi River, which drains the nation’s Corn Belt, is an environment catastrophe.” (Manning, 270). The Mississippi River along with many other bodies of water are undrinkable, and highly toxic all due to man-made fertilizer. Polyface has a solution to this problem by having all their fertilizer be completely natural and organic. “the cattle and their manure are a means to an end. Or is it a system for producing grass-fed beef without the use of any chemicals, in which case the chickens, by fertilizing and sanitizing the cow pastures, compromise the means to the end.” (Pollan, 347). Polyface Farms does preciously this. It has its livestock fertilize the fields on their own and it works just as well as nitrogen fertilizer. The Polyface fields may not be as evenly fertilized as industrial fields due to where the animals choose to go
The movie takes a strong stance on sustainable farming, so much that one might be able to say that is the agenda of the movie. They mostly speak of a specific farm called Polyface Farms in Virginia. What they do there is they use the same plot of land for multiple animals. Each of them use it at a different time. They have a process called the Pigerator. It is not a huge big, scary process; it is simple. Cows are in the barn during the winter, and they make waste. When they take the cows out, they mix corn into the manure to ferment it. Later, when the pigs come in, the pigs dig looking for the fermented corn, thereby mixing the manure into usable “fertilizer”.(American Meat) They also
There are many issues regarding the raising and producing of various livestock animals, and the use of pesticides on various types of crops. The movie Food.Inc does a good job explaining these issues, but in a very biased way. It makes agriculturists look like terrible people, when this is not the case.
On the topic of environmental impacts due to “industrial farming”, Bill McKibben and Blake Hurst share completely different perspectives. McKibben believes that industrial farming has simply left an unexcusable bad impact on the environment, saying that it is unethical and that the meat we eat is potentially killing our environment and us as well. McKibben states that “we should simply stop eating factory-farmed meat, and the effects on climate change would be one of the many benefits.” (page 201). McKibben addresses that the techno fixes brought in industrial farming are simply not enough to help our environment.
Pollan believes that American factory farms are places with technological sophistication, where animals are machines incapable of feeling pain (368). In other words, factory farms use plentiful of technology where they do not pay attention to animals feelings. For example, beef cattle who live outdoors are standing in their own waste, and factory farmers do not considered that wrong and unsanitary. Hurst alleges that “turkeys do walk around in their own waste, although they don’t seemed to mind”(5). This shows that factory farmers think that animals really don’t have feelings and really don’t care. Pollan also disagrees with industrial farming because he states that, “American industrial farms itself is redefined- as a protein production- and with it suffering” (369). He affirms this because industrial farming cages their animals. Interestingly, both authors believe that animals still die and suffer no matter what circumstances an animal is living. Pollan believes animals should be treated with respect and not be caged. On the other hand, Hurst asserts that “farmers do not cage their hogs because sadism, but because being crushed by your mother really is an awful way to go, as is being eaten by your mother”(6). So Hurst say that he cages animals to protect them. Also both authors believe that there needs to be ways to enrich the soil, so the farms can have bigger harvest, healthy plants, and keep cost down. However, Pollan believes that farmer should use compost. He states that “the finish compost will go to feed the grass;the grass, the cattle; the cattle , the chickens; and eventually all of the animals will feed us” (370). So he thinks compost is good for the farms. Hurst on the other hand, think manure and commercial fertilizer is good for the farms. Hurst spread poultry litter on pasture and this made cattle production possible in areas
The actions of the pigs express this theme by starting with good intentions, but slowly becoming more and more like what they were trying to avoid. In the beginning of the story Old Major gives a speech to the animals on the farm, and in this speech he mentions how cruel the humans are. During his speech Old Major uses Boxer the horse as an example when he says “You, Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker, who will cut your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds.” (Orwell 11). He then proceeds to tell the animals that once they revolt the cruelty will end, and at first it does, but soon the pigs begin to act more like humans. The pi...
The farm uses a cycle of animals, which include cows, chickens, turkeys, bunnies, and pigs, in order to keep the land fertile which allows for little use of external human made input. Polyface farm also takes hours of work everyday to upkeep unlike factory farms where it’s mostly automated. The farm also makes use of forested areas and other non-farmed resources, which forces them to protect that land from being cut down to receive those benefits. However, organic farming’s limiting factor is human population growth and the resources needed by the growing population.
Animals trapped in factory farms are severely abused and tortured from birth to death. Chickens sometimes will be starved for up to 2 weeks and given no water to shock their bodies into moulting, chickens and hens will have their beaks removed to prevent fighting between other animals. Pigs will get their tails cut off to stop other pigs biting them off. These cruel procedures are done to minimise as few of animals dying as possible so more product can be created by the farmer. Within factory farms, animals are abused with overuse of antibiotics to prevent disease and maximise their body growth to create a higher yield of product. According to Animal Rights Action, 2 out of 3 farms are now factory farmed worldwide and factory farming is only increasing this is leading to more animals being raised for slaughter, abused and tortured, mentally and physically. This is not fair. How would you feel losing your child minutes after it's born? As within factory farms, female cows get their calves are taken away from them within minutes they are born never to be seen again. This leaves these poor female cows depressed which causes them to lose weight and because of this are slaughtered as farmers want to maximise their yield of
Modern industrial agriculture demonstrates a lack of concern for the wellbeing of the livestock, the consumers, and the environment, which is why factory farming practices must be banned. From a humanitarian perspective, there is a massive downfall to factory farming. Simply, its motive is reason enough—the industry strives to maximize output while minimizing costs, while acting oblivious to the animals’ livelihood, viewing them solely as commodities. The USDA accounts that ninety-seven percent of the ten billion animals tortured and killed each year are farm animals. The cruelties of modern factory farming are extremely severe, with animals being crammed by the thousands into filthy, windowless sheds, and confined into cages in which they can hardly turn around or lie down.
Like many other industries, the farming industry has evolved into big business, “Animals on factory farms are regarded as commodities to be exploited for profit.” In each industry from clothing to instruments, the bosses want to make a profit. The more they can supply with the least amount of waste, the more profit they make. The same goes for factory farming. However instead of humans being the ones directly affected by big bosses, the animals are. They don’t have a voice, and can’t stand up for what is right or wrong. These animals are manipulated in every way to make a better profit. Factory farms mass produce animals for ...
Factory farms have portrayed cruelty to animals in a way that is horrific; unfortunately the public often does not see what really goes on inside these “farms.” In order to understand the conditions present in these factory farms, it must first be examined what the animals in these factory farms are eating. Some of the ingredients commonly used in feeding the animals inside factory farms include the following: animal byproducts, plastic, drugs and chemicals, excessive grains, and meat from members of the same species. (Adams, 2007) These animals are tortured and used for purely slaughter in order to be fed on. Typically large numbers of animals are kept in closed and tight confinements, having only little room to move around, if even that. These confinements can lead to suffocation and death and is not rare. Evidence fr...
...tive mode of agricultural production. Other global environmental impacts from industrial agriculture include soil erosion, salinization and water logging from irrigation, surface and groundwater contamination from pesticides and fertilizers, and the loss of cultural and biological diversity. The second phase is accelerating these unsustainable trends and is creating a global industrial food system that is highly fossil fuel intensive not only in the production sector, but in processing and distribution – where the average food item is more highly processed, more heavily packaged, and transported increasing distances. By contributing to increasing economic and social inequities at both national and international levels, this system also increases the risks of social instability. The need for more sustainable and socially just food and agricultural systems is clear.
Factory farms have depicted cruelty to animals during a manner that's horrific. Sadly, the general public usually does not see what really goes on within these “farms.” Chemicals, animal byproducts, medicine, meat that comes from its own species, and plastic are products that are fed to the animals that live in these factory farms (Adams, 2007). These animals are tortured and used for strictly slaughter so as to be consumed. Generally massive numbers of animals are kept in closed and tight confinements, having solely very little area to move around. Many animals suffer in very difficult circumstances. The animals are genetically altered to grow quicker or to provide rather more milk or eggs than they naturally would. Several animals reach below their own weight and die simply inches far from water and food (Bliss, 2012). This is just one of many examples of the cruel actions factory farmers have put upon the vulnerable animals. Wh...
The animals that are raised in factory farms, and the farms are ran just like any other business. According to the article Factory Framing, Misery of Animals, the factory farming industry strives to maximize output while minimizing cost, always at the animal’s expense. “The giant corporations that run most factory farms have found that they can make more money by squeezing as many animals as possible into tiny spaces, even though many of the animals die from disease or infection” (Factory Farming). This is actually quit disgusting that we eat food that walks around in each other’s feces and can attract disease. These animals live a life of abuse, but we sit back and say it’s okay because we will eventually eat them. “Antibiotics are used to make animals grow faster and to keep them alive in the unsanitary conditions. Research shows that factory farms widespread use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threatens human health” (Factory Farming). These animals aren’t treated with proper care and we act as if they are machines. Chickens for example, become so big and distorted that their legs can longer support them. Eventually they die because they can longer walk to get food or water. According to Factory Farming, most of these animals have been genetically manipulated to grow larger and to produce more eggs and milk than they naturally
Factory farms are often cruel to their animals. Pregnant pigs are confined to tiny crates where they can barely move, and chickens are crammed together by the thousands, in small chicken house to save money. Veal calves are kept inside so their meat doesn't darken. Dairy cows and hens are pumped with lots of chemicals and hormones so that they produce more milk and eggs than they naturally would, and piglets that a crippled, too small or simply unwanted are killed brutally and thrown away like trash. "Not only are the animals denied the ability to behave in a natural way, they are also not even permitted a normal lifespan"(Chambers, Jaime). After these animals endure this terrible lifestyle the ones that survive are sent to slaughterhouses where they are killed inhumanely. They are hung upside down, their throats are cut, and they bleed to death. Some animals do not get stunned properly so they are conscious to feel all of this. Factory farming is a new, quick, easy, cheap and efficient way to farm; but in order for it to be successful it inflict so much abuse on animals such as cows, pigs and chickens.
Studies have revealed that intensive farming can alter the environment in lots of ways. To create large open fields to farm on, trees and forests are often destroyed and this can lead to soil erosion. It also hinders and can destroy the natural habitat of wild animals and birds. The use of chemicals on crops can also contaminate the soil and get into water supplies, such as lakes and rivers from which wild animals feed. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers that are meant to kill pests, do so, but also destroy insects that a...