Factory farming’s environmental impact: It’s time for change

Factory farming, another term for industrial-level meat production, is an ever-growing problem. An estimated 97.5% of the world’s farmed animals are kept in cramped, inhumane factory farm conditions. And factory farms are one of the leading causes of climate change, emitting close to 14.5% of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. An astounding 27% of human water “footprint” is linked to producing meat and dairy products.

Fortunately, we’re not powerless. There are many steps we can take to reduce the impact of factory farming on the environment. From reducing our meat intake to advocating for better policies and legislation, taking action is the key to a sustainable future.

What is factory farming?

Factory farming is the practice of raising animals or aquatic species in intensively crowded conditions to make food production cheaper. Globally, over 1.6 billion animals are being raised in these inhumane conditions at any given moment. These industrial-scale meat, egg and dairy production centers have many harmful impacts, both in terms of the cruel, inhumane practices, and on climate change.

Concentrated animal feeding operations

Otherwise known as CAFOs, concentrated animal feeding operations take many forms in livestock production. In feedlots, cattle live in cramped, manure-filled conditions and are pumped full of antibiotics. Egg producers use battery cages where hens spend their entire lives in less floor space than a piece of standard printer paper. Pigs are kept in such small crates that they can’t even turn around.

Keeping animals in such intensively crowded conditions in the name of cheap meat has many issues, and these inhumane living conditions also create major damage to the environment.

Factory farming environmental impact

Beyond the ethical concerns of factory farming, the meat industry is also one of the biggest drivers of climate change. Factory farming contributes a massive amount to the global greenhouse gas emissions that are rapidly heating our planet. 

It also causes land, water and air pollution, like creating aquatic dead zones and biodiversity loss around factory farms. The factory farming industry also consumes huge quantities of water and other natural resources. Globally, more cropland is used to grow animal feed crops than food for direct human consumption, and the resulting deforestation contributes to biodiversity loss.

Factory farming and greenhouse gas emissions

The factory farming industry is a large driver of air pollution and climate change. Factory farmed animals produce over 885 billion pounds of manure each year, much of it stored in massive open-air lagoons or spread untreated on fields as fertilizer.

Factory farm air pollution is also particularly problematic because they produce two of the most potent and damaging greenhouse gasses — nitrous oxide and methane. In the highest intake areas of the globe, the consumption of poultry meat alone has more climate change impact than the emissions of 29 million cars each year.

Factory farms also produce ammonia from animal feces, making up 70% of U.S. ammonia emissions. We’ve all heard about the amount of methane produced by cows burping and farting, but less commonly known is that the primary cause of those methane emissions is the animal feed — like grain and corn — that factory farmed animals like cattle are given.

Farms and ranches are exempt from many emissions reporting requirements, allowing factory farms to keep their carbon dioxide emissions and other climate change contributors under wraps.

Pollution from factory farming

Beyond the global greenhouse gas emissions, factory farms are also major contributors to air and water pollution. The crowded conditions that animals are kept in, combined with a lack of government oversight, creates a perfect storm for pollution of all kinds to impact our planet.

Air pollution from animal agriculture goes beyond greenhouse gasses. The conditions and practices in factory farms create other pollutants for humans as well. Fine particulates and gasses from factory farms can cause health issues in surrounding rural communities and also contribute to broader air quality issues. A report on the increase in factory farmed animals in China found that the heightened air pollution from those farms caused an additional 66,000 deaths between 1980 and 2010.

Intensive animal agriculture and the resulting animal waste also create water pollution. Industrial agriculture, including factory farming, is one of the biggest causes of water pollution in the United States. Runoff from the vast quantities of raw waste produced on factory farms can cause acidification, algal blooms, and dead zones in waterways. Antibiotics used in factory farms also enter water systems via animal manure.

How you can reduce the impact of factory farming

While factory farms are a huge driver of climate change and are indisputably inhumane for farm animals, there are also many ways we all can contribute to reducing the harmful effects of factory farming on the environment.

Shift your meat and dairy consumption

The easiest step any of us can take to decrease factory farming’s climate change impact is to reduce the amount of meat and dairy we consume. By some estimates, going meatless just one day a week can reduce your carbon dioxide footprint by almost 1,600 kilograms per year. Easy switches for animal products, like swapping veggie burgers for beef or eating plant-based or vegetarian meals a few days a week, can make a big difference on climate change—and our health.

Choosing meat and dairy wisely at the grocery store is another simple step we can take. Be aware that many producers, including factory farms, can legally make claims like “grassfed” or “sustainable” on their animal products without any verification requirements. Look for labels with actual certifications like “Certified Grassfed,” “Real Organic” or “Regenerative Organic” to guide you in your meat and dairy purchase decisions.

Support a transition away from industrial agriculture

You can also help create change by encouraging efforts to transition away from industrial animal agriculture into a more sustainable food system that integrates farm animals in a healthy and ethical way. Help support a community-based food system that produces food in a sustainable and humane way. Agroecology — the practice of growing food in diverse landscapes that are aligned with natural systems — is another burgeoning movement that holds great promise.

Champion anti-factory farm policy and legislation

The 2023 Farm Bill, while a good start, still left many key areas unaddressed. The Farm System Reform Act of 2023, currently stalled in the House of Representatives, would place a moratorium on new factory farm construction. 

The proposed bill also contains provisions to help farmers transition away from intensive animal farming and set up alternative agricultural enterprises. The Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act, sponsored by Senator Corey Booker, would end government subsidies for factory farms, halt prison labor in industrial animal agriculture, and force factory farms to implement more humane killing methods. Take action to support these and other key legislation with letters to the editor, sharing on social media, and reaching out to your senator to advocate for these policies.

Be an advocate for reform

You can also begin your own factory farming activist journey by starting a petition or supporting other advocates’ campaigns. Here are some inspiring examples of Change.org petitions that made a difference.

Halt factory farming of chickens

This New Zealand petition fought against an enormous proposed factory farm that would house over 400,000 laying hens in a huge complex of tiered cages, the first of its kind in the country. The petition accumulated over 35,000 signatures.

Protect pigs from abuse in factory farming operations

This victorious petition focused on the inhumane treatment of pigs in factory farming settings and had over 35,000 signatures.

Prevent imports of factory farmed octopus

This Canadian petition focuses on banning factory farmed octopus, due to concerns about both water pollution, and inhumane treatment in concentrated octopus farms. With over 30,000 signatures, it achieved major support.

Advocate against high-speed factory farming slaughter lines

This petition received over 265,000 signatures, working to draw awareness to proposed legislation that would allow slaughterhouses to increase the speed of their production lines while decreasing federal oversight.

Ban new factory farming operations

This UK petition currently has almost 50,000 signatures. With a focus on halting new factory farms in rural communities, the petition highlights the environmental impacts of these operations, like increased pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s time to take action on factory farming

Factory farming is problematic for many reasons, from the inhumane treatment of animals to the environmental consequences of intensive animal agriculture. The factory farming industry and its impact on climate change will only continue to grow unless ordinary citizens initiate change.

Want to take action on factory farming and help build a sustainable future? Learn how to start a petition and then take action by launching one of your own.