According to The Guardian, new research shows a
growth in what are being described as “US-style mega farms in England.
New reports gathered by The
Guardian show a 26 percent increase in factory farming in the past six
years, with a factory farm in nearly every county in England. In fact, Herefordshire
has more than 16 million farmed animals, which means the county has 88 times
more chickens, pigs, and cows than humans.
It’s reported that most of these farms have gone unnoticed
mainly because farmers have expanded existing facilities. But now many citizens
worry about the impact these farms have on their communities and voice concerns
over animal abuse.
An increase in factory farms should worry everyone. Just
look at how industrial farming has affected communities, the environment, and
animals in the United States.
In North Carolina, pig factory farms produce nearly 10 billion gallons of feces and urine each year,
enough to fill 15,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. According to the North Carolina Riverkeepers and Waterkeeper Alliance,
pigs produce about 10 times as much feces as humans.
Most of this waste is stored in large open-air lagoons,
which turn pink from bacteria. Farmers often spray this bacteria-laden waste
into fields and air. This toxic air has sickened residents, who have reported symptoms
like headaches, stomachaches, excessive coughing, watery eyes, and nausea.
As if the environmental and health risks weren’t terrible
enough, animals at modern farms are treated as mere objects, and their short
lives are filled with torture and pain. Cows, pigs, and chickens are subjected
to extreme confinement, barbaric mutilations, and horrific deaths.
See for yourself:
We must all work to put an end to factory farming. Join the
growing number of people who are taking a stand by switching to a plant-based
diet. Click here to get started!