First, What is a Factory?

From Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary - 3. Contracted from manufactory, a building or collection of buildings, appropriated to the manufacture of goods; the place where workmen are employed in fabricating goods, wares or utensils.

*Note: a factory is a place where raw materials are manufactured into items that are different from the materials used. While there is a net gain in value there is no net gain in materials.

Second, What is a Farm?

From Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary - 2. In the United States, a portion or tract of land, consisting usually of grass land, meadow, pasture, tillage and woodland, cultivated by one man and usually owned by him. A like tract of land under lease is called a farm; but most cultivators are proprietors of the land, and called farmers.

*Note: a farm is where crops and animals are raised that resemble the seeds and parent animals. Crops and animals are not manufactured they are raised. There is a net gain in animals and crops and value.

Third, What is a Factory Farm?

From the two definitions there is no such thing or place as a factory farm!

     The term "factory Farm" originated in the 1960's by groups who actually want to stop all livestock operations. These groups would include radical animal rights groups such as P.E.T.A and vegans. As market conditions and government regulations forced more and more small and especially mid-sized family farms out of business. They were combined into larger land and livestock operations that were still a family farms. These large livestock operations (especially pork and poultry) became "confined" operations where the hogs and chickens are raised in buildings. The radical animal right groups started calling these large farms "factory farms" with the intent to get consumers to believe their half-truths and out right lies about the meat they produce. In the last few years organic farming groups have joined with the animal right groups by using this term to create a false impression of conventional farming operations.

      The real truth there is no such things as factory farms only large farming operations where modern and more efficient practices are used.    

      If you search the Internet for information about "factory farms" you will find many websites that will tell you all the "terrible" things about them. Very few will tell you both sides of the issue. I am going to present both side here. 

      My question is why not call them what they: Larges Farms of CAFO's [concentrated animas farming operations].

Did you know?

• The large farms produce more pounds of meat per animal that small farm.

• It takes less feed to produce a pound of meat on these large farms than on small farms.

• Less greenhouse gasses are produced per pound of meat on these large farms than on small farms

• Less manure is produced per pound of meat on these large farms than on small farms and manure is handled in a much more safe and efficient manner than on small farms.

Conclusion: one large livestock operation with 2000 animals produces more meat with less feed in less time than 50 small farms with 40 animals.

There are some problems caused by these large farming operations.

• It is true they may present some environmental challenges. When something breaks and manure spills happen on one of these farms it becomes big news. The potential for water pollution or other forms of damage is greater because of the size of the operation. BUT, understand these type of problems are rare on these large farms. Also small farms are not monitored by the environmental groups so when they have problems very few know.

• If animal neglect or cruelty happens on large farm again it is big news because of the number of animals that can be involved. Sadly there always a few animal owners who should not own animals. This has always been true and always will be true. The vast majority of these large farms are true animal welfarists. They care about every animal they own. While farmers and I understand animals do not have rights animal owners do have responsibilities.

• The demand made of cropland by these large farming operations is huge. There have been mistakes made. Erosion, fertility problems, chemical spills have happened. The use of chemicals and fertilizers on cropland has increased. BUT did you know erosion started on small family farm where poor farming practices were followed before these large farms were around? It was the larger farms where no-till and minimum till farming started. The concept of organic farming started with small farms only because hey are not practical or cost effective for large farms to follow.

• The potential for large scale sickness is greater in these large animal operations, BUT again if 1000 animals die on one farm it is news when 2 animals die on each of 1000 farms the 2000 are not reported by the news. Why?

• Large animal operations produce large amounts of Greenhouse gases. This is true, BUT they produce less gases per pound of meat than small farms.

If animals on these large farms are mistreated why are they so efficient when it comes to meat production? A sick or mistreated animal will not do well under any circumstances.

If 1000 animals die on one farm it is news. When 2 animals die on each of 1000 farms the 2000 are not reported by the news. Why?

Small local farms can not feed New York City. Think about these numbers.

*If a semi -truck can haul 50,000 pounds of food it would take 20 semis to haul 1,000,000 pounds of food.

*If a pickup truck can haul 2000 pounds of food it would take 500 pickups to haul 1,000.000 pounds of food.

The population of New York City is about 8,400,000 people.

*If each person in New York eats 2 pounds of food a day it would take 16,800,000 pound of food each day to feed the city.

*It would take 336 semi loads of food each day to feed New York

*It would take 8400 pick-up loads of food each day to feed New York.

*Small local farms can not supply New York with vegetables in the winter.

*Small local farms can not supply New York with Oranges.

NOTE - The figures above do not take in account the greater New York area or the number of tourist and workers who enter New York City each day.

Consider These Stats:

New York area - 19 Million

Boston area - 4 million

Atlanta area - 6 million

Chicago Area - 9 million

San Francisco area - 3 million

Los Angeles area - 12 million

Visit these links with more information. More coming soon!

Prairie Californian

My Job Depends On Ag

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