Factory Farming

Benefits of factory farms just illusions
May. 4, 2008 12:00 AM
If they updated the movie, Dorothy wouldn't live on Uncle Henry and Auntie Em's farm. The tornado would blow her away from a corporately owned concentrated animal-feeding operation.

I'm guessing she'd settle down in Oz instead of going back.

Unlike the old American family farm, there is nothing particularly cozy about the way most meat, dairy products and eggs are produced these days.


Farmers used to be decentralized and independent. There were lots of them and they all produced a variety of agricultural products. Now, a few big players use concentrated, factory-inspired techniques to produce a single product measured in animal units.

Calling them animal units instead of animals sounds efficient and modern.

Treating them like units instead of sentient creatures raises moral questions. Read More

The Pew Commission Report continues to be thrown in the face of agriculture. This biased report was written before the commission conducted it’s first meeting. Those of us in agriculture need to be the source of information regarding our industry rather than this group. Do your part in telling the story.