Perdue: An Argument Against Factory Farms

It is very likely that most animal products found in any given grocery store came from what it referred to as a factory farm. Factory farms like Perdue are large-scale farms that produce mass quantities of food whether it is animal or otherwise. Recently the owners of these factory farms have come under some harsh criticism when it comes to the way their animals are treated on the farms. Claims of abuse and mistreatment have resulted in an overall negative view of factory farms and their products. Animal rights activists such as Mercy For Animals are working to fight against factory farms such as

Perdue to seek justice for the allegedly mistreated farm animals. To resolve the conflict between the two, owners of factory farms should provide

Animal farms also hurt the environment because,

“Excessive waste created by large concentrations of animals is handled in ways that can pollute air and water”(GRACE). Overall this article is a strong example as to why factory farms need to improve the way they operate.

On the other hand, Perdue is a large produce company that owns many factory farms. They have often been viewed negatively by animal rights activists due to the poor conditions and abuse animals face. There have been undercover investigations on them, negative articles and movies such as Food, Inc., which expose horrific conditions on

Perdue farms. As a response to the negative publicity,

Perdue’s website is covered in claims such as “…antibiotic free…chickens are fed a

100% vegetarian diet…works with small farm families who truly appreciate wholesome food…inspected by the USDA…cared for in a clean, safe environment”(Perdue). They have photos of cute old family farmers and people in the communities that they work in to give the viewer the sense that they are family and community oriented. They also state that they have, ‘…a responsibility to protect our shared natural

To support Perdue’s side, there is a website named civileats.com that explains why factory farms are necessary in America. At the top of the article is a map of America with various colored splotches that represent “…how many factory farms we need to satisfy America’s meat habit”(Civil Eats). It is true that the American population is growing fast. And many Americans have a strong liking for meat. To satisfy the demand for meat in this country it is impossible to rely on small farms alone. Large-scale production of meat helps ease this demand. While factory farms may be necessary in this country, it is not necessary that they abuse the animals and keep them in horrible living conditions. For the benefit of both parties, it is extremely important to establish a compromise. Factory farms should provide better living conditions and monitored care for their animals. The monitors should be chosen by an unbiased third party should as a local or state government, to prevent either party from potentially paying off or convincing the monitors to say untrue good or bad things about the company. As long