Factory farming is everywhere

Around two in every three farm animals are factory farmed (that’s over 50 billion every year!). These intensive systems put production above all else, creating vast quantities of seemingly cheap meat, milk and eggs.

But factory farming comes at a cost. Treated as commodities, animals are often raised in intense confinement. Factory farming is highly dependent on large quantities of precious resources, such as grain-based feed, water, energy and medication.

This archaic method of food production has failed

Factory farming is not just bad for farm animals. It’s dangerous, unfair and dirty, with impacts ranging from climate change and biodiversity loss to disease and food insecurity. Factory farming is too often viewed as the cheap, efficient solution to feeding our world. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. For every 100 food calories of edible crops fed to livestock, we get back just 17 calories in the form of meat and dairy; an 83% loss. In short, people are being forced to compete with farm animals for food.

We must stop this madness.

There is a better way

Tackling one of the greatest sustainability concerns of our time is a daunting challenge. But it is also a unique opportunity to resolve some of the world’s most pressing economic, environmental and ethical challenges. We need a common sense approach to feeding the world. One that ends the competition for food between people and farm animals. We need a food and farming revolution; one that provides healthy, affordable food for all, produced from farming systems that are:

1. Safer, promoting our welfare and that of farm animals
2. Fairer, supporting rural livelihoods and relieving poverty
3. Greener, protecting the planet and its precious natural resources

With your support, Compassion in World Farming is fighting to end factory farming. We are a global movement to expose the truth about the food we eat, and fight for better food and farming. Compassion will continue to prevent suffering and make huge improvements to farming standards. However we believe that the animal welfare movement is less likely to win the arguments against factory farming on its own. We are building a groundswell of people and organisations to join our fight. Supported by people who recognise the danger that factory farming poses, we will end factory farming.

You can kick-start the revolution

Getting involved in the fight against factory farming couldn’t be easier. Simply sign up to receive email updates from Compassion in World Farming to hear about urgent campaign actions and other ways you can help end cruelty to farm animals.