The majority of animals farmed for food live in conditions that cause suffering and stress. It’s time to rethink farming.
End factory farming
The scale of suffering caused by factory farming is truly astounding:
- 40 billion chickens are subjected to overcrowded factory farms every year
- Many will have a space smaller than a piece of paper to live in, in barns crammed with up to 10,000 chickens
- They will spend most of their lives sitting or lying in their own waste
- Piglets on factory farms have their teeth clipped or ground and tails cut off
- Three out of four mother pigs are confined to cages the size of a fridge
A mother pig kept in a sow stall which is the same size as the average household fridge.
Factory farming and the rise of superbugs
Our new report reveals the long-term threat of factory farming to the health of humans, animals and the planet. Antibiotics are used routinely to prop up low animal welfare practices on factory farms, preventing animals that are confined and stressed from otherwise getting sick thanks to the dismal conditions. There is ample science showing how antibiotic overuse on factory farms leads to antibiotic-resistant superbugs, antimicrobial resistance, that spreads to workers, the environment and into the food chain.
Consider these facts:
- 131,000 tons of antibiotics are used in farming each year.
- 75% of antibiotics used globally are used in farming.
- 88% of global consumers are concerned about the possibility of superbugs coming from farm animals.
Link to pandemics
Keeping large numbers of genetically uniform animals in overcrowded, confined conditions can lead to the emergence and spread of viruses with the potential to infect humans.
In 2020 the UN reported that agricultural intensification has been responsible for over 50% of infectious diseases from animals since 1940.
Intensive animal agriculture a major risk factor in the rise of new pandemics: report
Last month, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) published a report titled, “Preventing...
We’re dedicated to improving the lives of as many of the world's 50 billion factory farmed animals as possible
- We move governments and global bodies to improve regulations to protect animals.
- We influence debates that will shape the future of world farming.
- We partner with food businesses to change the way they work and protect animals.
- We work with farmers to demonstrate practical and affordable ways to protect animals.
- We encourage people to choose food produced in line with high welfare standards.
Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW):
Our BBFAW report is the first global measure of company performance on animal welfare. Since its inception in 2012, it has established itself as a catalyst for influencing change in corporate practices on animal welfare management and reporting.
Retailers and food service companies are moving too slowly on farmed animal welfare: Report
Major food companies are severely lacking on animal welfare standards, but many smaller companies are making progress, according to the latest Business...
The chickens in the photo above are on an RSPCA assured farm in the UK. Photo credit: RSPCA
High welfare animal farming is better for animals, people, and the environment.
- Raising animals humanely can use less feed, fuel and water than intensive farming, reducing costs and pollution.
- Humane farms can create jobs, boost profits and keep local food supplies healthy.
- By farming crops and livestock, humane farms can reduce environmental damage – recycling nutrients and improving the soil.
- Greenhouse gas emissions are often reduced when animals are healthy and have good welfare.
Concerned about climate change? Eating less meat and dairy is a powerful way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues in the world today. A warming planet has implications on the well-being of humans and animals alike.
Eating less meat can help take cruelty off the menu
By making gradual changes to your lifestyle and diet, like eating fewer animal products and choosing higher welfare, you can create better lives for farm animals.
Remember, the easiest way to find out where meat, diary and eggs come from is to ask – ask your supermarket, your favourite fast food restaurant, your local café. If they don’t serve higher welfare, they should, so keep asking.
Our work
