Factory Farming - Coursework Example

In the past few decades, a new phenomenon in farming, known as factory farming, has come to be practiced all over the world. This development has taken place mainly because of the fact that there is a high demand for meat and other animal products in the global market and in order to achieve these orders, it has become the custom for farmers as well as corporations involved in the industry to develop means through which this demand can be satisfied. The result of the initiatives put in place to achieve their objectives has been the introduction of a farming system where animals are kept in confinement and raised in this environment. This has been done in an effort to increase the yield from these animals at the lowest cost as possible while at the same time ensuring that the farmers gain massive profits in the markets in the fastest time possible. Factory farmers have come to utilize new methods of farming which include the use of modern machinery and biotechnology, as well as ensuring that they have access to global markets. It has been found that the confinement of animals in high stocking density has led to the increasing need to use antibiotics among other agents to enable the mitigation of diseases which are likely to occur because of the crowded living conditions that animals are normally subjected to. In addition, it has been found that the need to increase output has led farmers to use new forms of antibiotics which are designed to increase the growth rate of their animals in a manner that enables them to be sold earlier than normal. Despite the fact that this system of animal farming is practiced in different ways all over the world, it has become one of the most controversial aspects of farming on the planet. This has been mainly because of the massive debate that is currently taking place concerning whether factory farms do anything to ensure the welfare of their animals. Arguments have been made that factory farms are an essential part of the current global economic system which works towards helping in the feeding of the growing human population across the planet. However, those who argue against this form of farming state that they have more or less become places of suffering and death for animals mainly because their welfare is never put into consideration in the confined and unhealthy conditions within which they live (Ashwood 427). There have also been arguments that factory farms, because of their unhealthy environment and their need to increase yields as a fast rate, have a negative impact on the environment as well as playing a role in increasing health risks in the human population. A major concern that has been raised about factory farming has been the welfare of animals and this is mainly because of the fact that large numbers of them are reared in confinement in environments which are very congested. Animal rights activists have pointed out that this form of confinement, which reduces the natural behavior of these animals, increase the risk of their developing unnatural behaviors which are detrimental to their health (Holt 169). It has been found that a large number of animals that are reared in factory farms end up developing unnatural behaviors such as cannibalism and feather pecking, and many animal rights activists believe that these behaviors arise because of their congested and confined environments. The fact that they are not allowed to develop naturally leads many of them to develop abnormal behaviors because of the massive human interventions such as beak trimming, castration, and ear notching. Because of the need to be more productive, factory farms often implement artificially selected production procedures to ensure that only the animals that they choose are allowed to breed and those that are undesirable are culled. This leads to a situation where there is a lack of natural breeding among animals and this ends up affecting their health and this in a manner where some of their physical characteristics come to be exaggerated. For example, some chicken, such as broilers, are bred in a manner which encourages them to grow faster but this also leads to their gaining weight in such a fast manner that in most instances, their legs cannot support them. The result is that a large number of them either become lame or suffer from incidents of broken legs; a case which animal rights activists consider to be a violation of the chickens’ welfare (Bauston 24). The massive weight gained by animals bred in factory farms for meat leads to many of them dying because of the strain to their hearts and lungs. This creates a situation where quite a large number of them die from the stress caused from their being transported to slaughter houses, leading to what can only be considered as a waste to their lives (Centner 470). In factory farms, because of the selective breeding programs which have been put in place to increase production, there have been incidents where animals are culled because they are undesirable. This often takes place where at birth, animals are found to be male where only female ones are preferred and this leads to their being killed because they lack commercial viability. Factory farms which specialize specifically in the production of milk tend to be culprits in the culling of undesired animals as seen where in instances where cattle or goats give birth to male offspring, the latter are put to death because they will not be able to contribute to the production of milk. However, the female offspring are kept alive because they will be able to significantly add to the number cattle which produce milk for the farm. It can therefore be argued that such practices are an infringement on the rights of animals and this is mainly because of the fact that factory farmers have come to put the economic value of their activities ahead of the welfare of their animals which has contributed to the abuses towards animals, which have been encountered. It has been found that a large number of factory farms work towards the increasing of high yields in total disregard of the environment as well as the individuals who work within them. This has been mainly because of the fact that a number of the chemicals used inside these farms tend to be harmful to the health of the workers involved and this creates a situation where they are susceptible to diseases which might be transferred from animals to human beings, such as tuberculosis, as well as the development of chronic lung disease (Williams 371). In addition, there have been cases of the increase in pollutants in drinking water due to the discharge of animal waste into sources of water such as rivers and lakes. There have been some instances where courts have come to undermine the bid by activists and the public to ensure that animals in factory farms are not kept in abusive conditions. Such a scenario was witnessed in the County of Lancaster in Pennsylvania where in 2007; the owner and manager of an egg factory farm were taken to court on charges of animal abuse. However, these individuals were acquitted by the judge and this created a dilemma in the legal protection which farm animals should be given in their entire state. This is mainly because the decision showed that the state laws concerning cruelty towards animals did not apply on farm animals and that it was perfectly legal if cruelty was committed against the latter. Through this ruling, the state of Pennsylvania showed that farm animals in the entire state did not enjoy any legal protection from abuses committed by their owners and this was despite the fact that there was plenty of evidence to show that the animals in the egg farm lived in horrific conditions (Oppel). The verdict was handed down after the trial where video footage showing the living conditions of the chicken at the egg farm, known as Esbenshade. Thus, despite the incriminating evidence as well as the seventy criminal counts of animal cruelty, the owner and manager of the farm we let go without even as much as a warning from the court. One would suggest that there is a need for there to be tougher regulations on all factory farms in the country because this is the only way that the government can ensure that the individuals who own them treat their animals in a manner which is humane. The capability of factory farms to self regulate is very much open to question because these are basically businesses which have been created for the purpose of attaining profits and not for the sake of treating their animals in the right manner (Mokhiber 30). In such situations, it becomes impossible for them to self regulate because to do so would mean having to take more time to raise their animals in the correct and natural manner. This would mean that they would lose a large part of their markets and this is something which many factory farms are never willing to accept. Therefore, in order for the much needed changes to be implemented in this industry, there is the need for the government to step in and create legislation which is meant to ensure that all farm animals are protected from cruel treatment. The steps which the government has taken so far, and this mainly because of pressure from the public, are not enough to guarantee the prevention of cruelty against farm animals and this has created a situation where most factory farms ignore all government initiatives which have been put in place to ensure that they comply. Plenty of cases have been brought to courts against animal farms but most of these tend to be based on complaints against their effect on the environment rather than on the need to protect animals from abuse. Ethics play a great role in influencing the process of regulation of the activities of factory farms in order to protect the animals within them (Wenz 132). The regulations that have to be put in place on these farms have to be done in an ethical manner because this is the only means through which there can be assurance that all animals in these farms will be kept from harm. Ethics should act as a guide when it comes to making decisions about how factory farms should be regulated and this should be done to ensure that there is fairness for animals in the process. It is a fact that over the past decade, more individuals have come to face trial over their cruel treatment of animals in factory farms. One of the most notable prosecutions in the previous decade was that of a factory farm manager in Oklahoma, named Alejo Pena, who was charged with cruelty against animals by beating pigs which had been fattened for slaughter, to death (Kaufman). This case was filed based on video evidence concerning Pena’s actions and this proved to be a landmark case especially when one considers that it targeted an individual who was part of the factory farm complex. However, despite the fact that Pena faced up to five years in prison for his actions, he was released and placed on probation on condition that he would not break the requirements of his probation. While this can be considered to have been a landmark case, it shows that there is still a lot to be done to ensure that animals are protected from cruel treatment. The fact that Pena was let go despite the massive evidence leveled against him is an indication that the justice system of the country does not take the rights of farm animals seriously and it is for this reason that more individuals should lobby for the creation of better legislation to handle these situation. Over the years, and mainly because of the actions of animal rights activists, there have been more cases of animal cruelty being taken to court, but these cases seem not to have deterred the large number of companies involved in factory farming which have continued to abuse the animals in their farms. There is the need to ensure that there are stricter penalties for those individuals or companies found abusing the animals in their farms and this should be done in a manner that sends a message to offenders that their actions have consequences (Williams 376). In fact, one would recommend that all of those factory farms found to violate the rights of the animals that they keep should have their licenses revoked. This would show all of the large companies and individuals that own factory farms that the cruelty towards animals which has been going on in their farms for many decades is no longer acceptable in the modern society and that the time has come for them to change their attitudes or be removed from the market (Keeling 316). The fact that most court verdicts against many factory farms tend to only be slaps in the hand for many of these is a very discouraging aspect of the legislation that has been put in place to deal with cruelty against farm animals. It is important for all legislation concerning animal cruelty that is passed to have the strength to deal even with large corporations which current legislation deems to be untouchable. If firm actions are taken against large corporations with an interest in factory farms, there is the possibility that they will be encouraged to do more to prevent animal cruelty. The presence of permanent inspectors whose duty is to regularly inspect factory farms would be a step in the right direction. In order to achieve this, there is a need for the formation of a law enforcement agency whose mandate is to deal specifically with incidents of cruelty against farm animals. Such a move would work towards the prevention of further animal abuse and would ensure the development of better conditions for animals in factory farms. Factory farms have become a basic factor of American food production, but despite this, it has also created a situation where animals are abused by their keepers in a manner designed to ensure that the maximum profits possible are realized from the sale of these animals’ products (Keeling 316). While this may be the case, it has been found that most of these farms tend to undertake activities which are detrimental to the environment, the welfare of the animals kept in these farms as well as the health of those individuals who live close to these farms. Most factory farms, in their marketing, declare that their farms are the most idyllic places for animals; that they provide the best place for the animals to develop in a natural manner while at the same time ensuring that the animals are kept safe and healthy. This is normally not the case and it has been found that a large number of factory farms do the direct opposite of what they claim to do in their advertisements of the products from the animals that they keep. Factory farms are places where animals are kept in large numbers and are raised in places of extreme confinement where they do not have the opportunity to develop naturally. In addition, these animals tend to be considered as commodities by the farm owners and it is for this reason that many of them are not given the necessary treatment to ensure that they are in perfect health. Instead, they are kept in the terrible conditions described above as a means of ensuring that they develop fast enough to be exploited for a handsome profit. The need to ensure that they develop faster has made factory farm owners to make animals to undergo some very painful mutilations for the purpose of ensuring that they develop as quickly and as large as possible so that they can be able to maximize production (Wenz 132). In this way, these animals are used in the production of milk, eggs and meat for the purpose of satisfying consumer demand in the food industry. In most cases, it has been found that the animals concerned are not able to support their own body weight and this creates a situation where they have to undergo some debilitating and painful conditions which are not only inhumane, but are among the highest form of brutality against animals. It has become a reality that factory farms have become avenues for putting a massive strain on the natural resources available (Holt 169). This is mainly because of the fact that because when large numbers of animals are kept in confinement, they produce a large amount of waste which cannot be easily disposed of. Because of this situation, the disposal or lack of disposal, of this waste brings about a scenario where land, air and water resources come to be polluted and this is detrimental not only to the health of the animals involved but also for those people who live close to the factory farms. It has become common to find the health of those individuals who live close to factory farms to be adversely affected by the large waste emanating from these farms. In addition to these health problems, there are instances where the value of the property of these individuals is lowered because of their close proximity to these farms, and this creates a situation where rural areas close to factory farms become less attractive for people to live. Moreover, the fact that a large number of factory farms have high incidences of animal illnesses because of the congested environment in which they live has led their owners to use antibiotics in an extensive manner to counteract these illnesses. The result has been that there have developed new strains of animal illnesses, especially bacterial ones, which are drug resistant and can be transferred to human beings; making those individuals who live close to factory farms to be at a high risk of being infected by dangerous diseases. The fact that a large number of factory farms have come disregard the laws and regulations designed to protect animals is one of the biggest tragedies that have come to affect the welfare of these animals (Ashwood 427). The development of laws as well as their implementation has come to be challenged by lobby groups in the service of corporations that own factory farms and these have managed to ensure that despite the various regulations which have been put in place to govern the running of factory farms, most of them have failed to be put into practice. The result has been that a number of factory farms, despite being found to be in violation of the rights of animals as well as those human beings that live in close proximity to these farms, have often been let off the hook with nothing more than a warning or fines which have been basically a slap on the wrist. The result has been that factory farms have been emboldened to continue with their abusive practices towards their animals with the intention of making the latter as productive as possible and in the shortest time. The failure of the government to take any concrete action against these farms is one of the biggest tragedies in the United States because it has proven that it is more concerned about the income that it gains from taxing the corporations that own them than the health and suffering that the animals in these farms have to undergo on a daily basis. The discussion above has shown that factory farmers have come to utilize new methods of farming which include the use of modern machinery and biotechnology, as well as ensuring that they have access to global markets. In addition, it has been seen that arguments have been made that factory farms are an essential part of the current global economic system which works towards helping in the feeding of the growing human population across the planet. In addition, because of the need to be more productive, factory farms often implement artificially selected production procedures to ensure that only the animals that they choose are allowed to breed and those that are undesirable are culled. Furthermore, it has been found that a large number of factory farms work towards the increasing of high yields in total disregard of the environment as well as the individuals who work within them. It has been suggested that there is a need for there to be tougher regulations on all factory farms in the country because this is the only way that the government can ensure that the individuals who own them treat their animals in a manner which is humane. Finally, stricter penalties for those individuals or companies found abusing the animals in their farms have to be implemented and this should be done in a manner that sends a message to offenders that their actions have consequences. Works Cited Ashwood, Loka. "The CAFO Reader: The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories." Agriculture and Human Values 29.3 (2012): 427-8. Bauston, Gene. "For a Mouthful of Flesh." The Animals Agenda 18.1 (1998): 22-9. Centner, Terence J. "Limitations on the Confinement of Food Animals in the United States." Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 23.5 (2010): 469-86. Holt, David M. "Unlikely Allies Against Factory Farms: Animal Rights Advocates and Environmentalists." Agriculture and Human Values 25.2 (2008): 169-71. Kaufman, Marc. "Ex-Pig Farm Manager Charged with Cruelty; Animal Rights Activists Supply Video Evidence for Oklahoma Felony Abuse Case." The Washington Post: 0. Sep 09 2001. Keeling, Linda J. "Healthy and Happy: Animal Welfare as an Integral Part of Sustainable Agriculture." Ambio 34.4 (2005): 316-9. Mokhiber, Russell. "Animal Factory Rap Sheet." Multinational Monitor 23.9 (2002): 30. Oppel, Richard A. "Taping of Farm Cruelty is Becoming the Crime." Honolulu Star – Advertiser Apr 07 2013. Wenz, Peter S. "Against Cruelty to Animals." Social Theory and Practice 33.1 (2007): 127-50. Williams, Nancy M. "Affected Ignorance and Animal Suffering: Why our Failure to Debate Factory Farming Puts Us at Moral Risk." Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 21.4 (2008): 371-84. Read More