Corporate Farming
Corporate farming in the large scale production of food on farms owned by large corporations. One of the main components of corporate farming is factory farming. Factory farms are facilities where large amounts of animals are confined and maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period before being transported and made into food products. There are many issues that arise because of Factory Farming including:
Additives-
Most of the food in supermarkets are highly processed and contain an almost uncountable number of food additives. These food additives are used to changed the way food tastes and looks, as well as altering it in colour and texture. But these additives are not always very health for human consumption, which is why we keep seeing an increase in food related diseases such as obesity, diabetes etc.
Air Pollution-
Industrial farms produce incredible amounts of animal waste that then releases greenhouse gasses into the air. Along with the air pollution that comes directly from the animals waste and excretion, the industrialized agriculture system also burns a significant amount of fossil fuels for things such as distributing products and transportation and equipment in factories.
Antibiotics-
Animals being raised in factory farms are not given enough doses of antibiotics due their poor living conditions, treatment and overcrowding. Antibiotics are not only beneficial for the health of these animals but they also helped them to grow faster when utilized. The lack of and decreasing amount of antibiotics given to animals is a contributing issue to antibiotic resistant bacteria in not only animal species but in humans as well.
Hormones-
Instead of giving the farm animals antibiotics for better health and faster growth, factory farms have put less and less consideration on the animals health and are now using artificial hormones. These hormones are implanted into cattle, pigs, chicken and other farm animals so that they can produce more milk and eggs for their economic benefit. Scientific research shows that there are possible links between these hormones and common types of cancer.
Pesticides-
Pesticides are sprayed on crops that are ultimately fed to the farm animals. In the animals fat and tissue residues of these pesticides are stored and they eventually enter human bodies when we consume their meat. Pesticides too, have been linked to a variety of medical problems for both animal species and humans.
Slaughterhouses and Animal Processing-
Beating, boiling and dismembering animals alive without any painkillers is a common practice in slaughter houses. There has been countless cases where animal abuse has taken place in slaughter houses. For example, in the year of 2011, the staff of a slaughter hour in the United Kingdom run by Cheale Meats, were killing up to 6000 pigs every week and they had be reported to be striking the pigs with paddles for no apparent reason. More often than not the pigs were not stunned correctly, this would leave them squealing in agony as they were left to bleed to death, other cases included workers repetitively shocking the pigs and other farm animals with iron prods.
Water Pollution-
Industrial agriculture factories produce as much if not more than the same amount of sewage that would be produced by small cities. Instead of treating the waste they create, it is held in large pools or even spread onto farm fields where it eventually runs off into nearby streams and water systems, therefore, polluting freshwater sources. Waste is leaking into lakes, oceans and groundwater, which means that all the bacteria, residue, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are going into the water that we drink. So here's a major contamination issue as well as one that leads to the destruction of aquatic ecosystems.
Benefits of Corporate Farms
Better Quality Yield-
Corporate farms protect crops through the extensive use of pesticides. This ensures that there will be minimal damage to crops therefore, wasting less of the products produced ad well as providing crops with a better quality yield. This also encourages the storage life of crops fro exports. Because corporate farming had large outputs, it reduces the minimum support price. This meaning that people are able to pay less for the same food that they did several or more years ago. Bringing down the prices makes food more available and in larger quantities as well.
New Technology-
New technology such as tractors and other equipment in factory farms make it easier to produce food and also makes the process a lot faster. Industrialization of agriculture has helped in rapid production of crops to meet the needs of the economy Increase in agricultural production through the use of advanced technology has obviously increased food production for both developed and developing countries.
Disadvantages of Corporate Farming
Reduced Nutrition-
The use of high amounts of insecticides and pesticides prevent damage to crops as well as decreasing the nutritional value in our food. Corporate Farms are blindly using food additives, chemicals and hormones to speed up the process of growing crops and animals. With overly modified crops (genetically), they lack nutritional content compared to organically grown ones.
Higher Environmental Costs-
The use of technology in corporate farming has brought up many issues regarding the environment. Mainly, it interferes with the natural and biological processes of the environment, but it also is a threat to water bodies that are drying up from irrigation at a fast rate. Pollution is also seen in fisheries due to the disposal of chemicals, and pollution of the soil.
Opinion-
Although the benefits of Corporate Farming cannot be denied, its negative impacts have already started getting out of hand. Factory farms have been continuously increasing in numbers and I believe that we should be getting rid of them due to the abuse that is happening to the confined animals. People simply do not care enough for animals lives and it's sickening. What if you were born a chicken, knowing you were about to be used for your eggs and then soon get killed while being among the tens of thousands of chickens sharing the same confinement as you? It's proven that animals experience high levels of pain and suffering throughout the processes of factory farming. It makes me sick we accept this as a nation and that it's legal to abuse animals for food. I understand that with growing populations we must provide higher rates of food but there are alternatives. We can still produce mass amounts of meat, dairy eggs...But in a HUMANE manner. I believe it is our duty and responsibility to respect nature and animals equally as we do and should to humans. Our very own lives would improve if we started showing some basic decency the cows, pigs, lambs, turkeys, chickens and any other animals that are being slaughtered every single day. Why? Well, specifically in America two thirds of the adult population is atleast overweight if not obese. If we were not slaughtering so many animals at such a fast rate, maybe we would be more healthy and we would be able to maintain a reasonable weight. And of course other health related issues such as high cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and even sleep apnea are all due to our poor diets. Eating too much meat and dairy products, combined with excessive intake of sugars and starch, plays a big role in these medical issues. So don't you think it wouldn't be such a bad idea to cut down? Now it is just time for the rest of the planet to wake up and change this absurdity. Not only are the animals being exploited but so are we!.