Maddy Reick

English 102

Professor Newport

5/7/17

Cultivating Cruelty and Catastrophe

On any given evening, the typical American sits down to a dinner plate that features a

sizeable amount of meat. Many Americans dont even stop to wonder where it came from before

the grocery store, or what an animal and the Earth went through to produce that juicy steak. The

harsh reality is that over 90% of the meat consumed by Americans came from a factory farm.

Although meat is a staple in the American diet, the US should not be using CAFOs to provide

meat for the country because it is an inhumane practice and it has detrimental effects on the

environment.

Behind Closed Doors

Despite the friendly farm images on many of the labels on animal products, factory farms

are anything but happy. One step into an industrial farm would expose buildings filled animals

crowding each other, pumped with steroids. Many of these animals have never even seen the

outside, and too many of them will not live long enough to be systematically slaughtered. In the

chicken industry, there are two types of chickens- those that lay eggs and those that are used for

meat. Genetic modifications have been done to each type to maximize the output of product.

Chickens bred for meat are pumped with steroids, which makes their breasts exponentially larger

than they would be without steroids. According to the ASPCA, this rapid growth causes their

skeletons and organs to lag behind (1). Many of these chickens die from heart failure or leg

weakness because they are unable to even stand due to their weight. Egg-laying hens are kept in
small cages the size of filing cabinets, up to ten hens in each cage. When the hens get older and

its egg production drops, the farmer restricts the hens nutrition to shock its body into its final

egg laying cycle.

The cattle industry is just as disgusting

as the chicken industry. Calves are taken from

their mothers before they are even a year old

and sent to a field of mud and waste where

they will never see the pasture again, and stand

outside in all seasons. They are fed a diet of

grain, which is very hard on their bodies

compared to their natural diet of grass. This unnatural diet causes illness, pain, and sometimes

death (ASPCA 1). Dairy cows are artificially inseminated since cows only produce milk as a

side effect of reproduction. Their calves are taken from them the day they are born and are either

sent to veal factories or are used as the next set of dairy cows.

The practices that go on in industrial farms are sick and should not continue. Just because

humans are capable of controlling and abusing these animals does not mean that it is okay. The

animals in this industry are not being treated like animals, but more like products. These animals

have emotions and a consciousness and should be treated with the same respect that is given to

humans. Humanity took a giant leap backwards when it decided that it was okay to abuse its

position of power over the animal kingdom and exploit them for selfish gain. Much like Victor

Frankenstein went too far with the creation of his monster, the animal agriculture industry has

gone too far with its cruel treatment of the animals that it enslaves.
Environmental Ruin

Factory farming is the leading cause of climate change because of its nitrogen-rich runoff

and its colossal methane production. Animals in industrial farms often are forced to stand in their

own waste all day, every day. This causes huge problems when it rains and the waste is picked up

by the water and transported to nearby watersheds and other water sources. Since this waste is

high in nitrogen, which is a nutrient essential for plant growth, the water source that the runoff

empties in to experiences an algal bloom, which is an accumulation of algae. This is destructive

to the environment because as the algae eventually dies, swarms of bacteria decompose the algae

and use all the dissolved oxygen that is usually used

by the marine organisms that live in the water. The lack of oxygen can

cause these organisms to become ill and

die. This process is called eutrophication,

and often ruins ecosystems and makes

water toxic. In addition to nitrogen, the

antibiotics that are fed to the animals get passed along with the waste. This is happening now in

the Gulf of Mexico. There are dead zones caused by algal blooms that grow because of the

agricultural runoff making its way to the Mississippi River and down to the gulf. These

antibiotics seep into the water supply and unsuspecting water drinkers are dosed with more

antibiotics than they bargained for, leading to antibiotic resistance.

Along with nutrient-rich runoff, factory farms produce ridiculous amounts of methane

(Cummins 1). Methane (CH4) is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gasses allow

UV rays to enter the atmosphere, but block them from bouncing off back into space. This causes

the atmosphere to heat up and contributes to climate change. Of the various industries, the beef
industry contributes the most to methane production. Because of their unhealthy diet of grain,

their digestive systems produce methane as a byproduct of indigestion. Factory farms are a direct

contributor to the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change and the degradation of the

environment.

Are WE the Problem?

Supporters of factory farms usually dont even know they support the cruelty and

environmental destruction that goes on. These supporters are the consumers that vote with their

dollars to keep these CAFOs up and running. The leaders of the industry use the consumer

ignorance to their advantage, keeping prices lower than the competition to attract the consumer.

The American society nowadays is more concerned with the price of a product than where it

came from.

The leaders of the animal agriculture industry are like Victor Frankenstein in the sense

that they are power hungry. Frankenstein wanted to play God and create life, while the leaders of

this terrible industry want to decide life and death for these animals in the name of profit. Like

Frankenstein did with his creation, these leaders need to step back and analyze what they have

created, and realize that in their greed for power, they have made a monster.

A Viable Solution

The solution to this problem is easier and less life changing than people may think. The

most effective way to stop supporting the animal agriculture industry is to go vegan. This

involves cutting all animal products out of the diet and the daily life. This has proven to be a very

daunting task for some, so many choose to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle. While this is an effective

option, it still supports the diary and egg industry. However, it is still a very valid lifestyle

choice. Even less drastic yet still effective, Americans can simply cut down on their meat intake.
As it is right now, about half of the typical American plate at any given meal is a meat product.

This is because meat is an easy source of protein, but it has been shown that a diet that is higher

in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains,

legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in animal-based

foods is more health promoting and is associated

with lesser environmental impact (Wellbery 1). Plant based foods like

legumes, nuts, and seeds have exceptionally high protein values as well, enough to replace

at least a portion of the amount of meat on an American meal plate.

In addition to eating less meat, the American consumer can stop supporting the animal

agriculture industry by putting their money towards products that use ethical

means to produce meat, dairy, and eggs. Choosing products that are labeled

USDA Organic is always a safe bet for avoiding cruelty and environmental

abuse. Another label to look for is the Animal Welfare Approval seal that guarantees

that the animals were treated were treated with respect, and that they were fed their natural diets.

The animal agriculture has gone too far. What once began with hunting, a sustainable

way to consume meat, has now morphed into CAFOs, a destructive practice and a torturous way

to treat animals. While very much ingrained in the American society, there are solutions that are

easy to make, like a simple change in diet or a more conscious selection at the supermarket.

However, a change will not be made until the American society can take a step back and realize

that it is sacrificing its humanity to save a few bucks. The destruction is happening now, and it is

our turn to make a move to stop it from further damaging our Earth.
 Works Cited

"THE CLEAN WATER ACT AND THE CHALLENGE OF AGRICULTURAL ..." N.p., n.d.

Web. 8 May 2017.

Cummins, Ronnie. "How Factory Farming Contributes to Global Warming." EcoWatch.

EcoWatch, 27 June 2016. Web. 08 May 2017.

"Factory Farming and the Environment." Farm Sanctuary. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2017.

"Farm Animal Welfare." ASPCA. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2017.

Ikerd, John. The Inevitable Economic, Ecological & Social Consequences of CAFOs. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 May 2017.

Wellbery, Caroline. "Eating Less Meat: A Healthy and Environmentally Responsible Dietary

Choice." American Family Physician (2016): n. pag. Web. 7 May 2017.

Photos

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