Housing & Space Allotments – Pigs
What are the most common housing conditions for pigs raised for meat? Housing – Factory farmed pigs raised for meat spend most of their 6-month lives in large, enclosed finishing houses.[1] The houses are divided into rows of metal-fenced pens. A typical size shed is about 20,000 sq. ft. and holds 2,000 to 2,500 pigs. […]
Animal Treatment Laws & Regs Overview
How are federal laws on animal treatment implemented? Laws are written by Congress to assert policy and generally define conduct for those aspects of daily life that operate under the authority of the government. To clarify and implement the laws, regulations are then written by executive agencies, such as the USDA. The USDA then may […]
Factory Farm Locations
In which states are EPA-defined CAFOs most concentrated? According to the EPA 2023 NPDES Permitting Status Report, the following is a ranked list of the top 10 states in which EPA-defined CAFOs are concentrated, along with the numbers of CAFOs with permits in those states.[1] Although the total numbers are a small proportion of total […]
Worker Demographics Takeaways
Worker Demographic Takeaways Takeaways are key points detailed and referenced in the Demographics section Animal Slaughter & Processing The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that in 2023 there were ~546,000 workers in the animal slaughtering and processing industry. Total worker figures are underestimated by the BLS due to the large number of undocumented workers, […]
Housing Conditions & Space Allotments – Poultry
What are the housing conditions for factory farmed broiler chickens? Broiler chickens are typically raised in large, fully enclosed sheds constructed of metal and/or wood. Most facilities are dimly lit to discourage birds’ activities, optimize their feed conversion, and save on energy costs.[1] A typical broiler shed measures 43’x 500’ and houses ~30,000 birds.[2] Floors […]
Total Number of Factory Farms
4 KEY POINTS – Total Number of Factory Farms 1. We estimate that there are about 65,000 factory farms as of 2022; since there is no established definition of a factory farm, we base the estimate on proposed animal number thresholds and additional factors. 2. The largest number of factory farms hold cattle on feed […]
Total Number of AFOs and CAFOs
5 KEY POINTS – Total Number of AFOs and CAFOs 1. The numbers of AFOs and CAFOs in the U.S. are necessarily broad estimates since no federal agency tracks them with regularity or precision. 2. There are likely 140,000 to 150,000 AFOs in the U.S. 3. The number of AFOs has declined significantly due to […]
Government Laws & Regulations Takeaways
Government Laws & Regulations Takeaways Takeaways are key points detailed and referenced in the Laws & Regulations section Farmed Animal Treatment Federal laws regarding farmed animal treatment are almost non-existent; the factory farming system has been given free rein to create its own standards and practices regardless of the pain and suffering inflicted. There are […]
Defining Factory Farms
According to the dictionary, what is a factory farm? Merriam Webster defines a factory farm as:“A large industrialized farm, especially a farm on which large numbers of livestock are raised indoors in conditions intended to maximize production at minimal cost.”[1] Though the concepts are clear, there is not much agreement about the specific parameters – […]
Defining AFOs & CAFOs
5 KEY POINTS – Defining AFOs & CAFOs 1. AFOs and CAFOs are defined for regulatory purposes by the EPA; the terms are also commonly used to describe factory farms. 2. The EPA’s determinants for classifying an animal operation as a CAFO are the number of confined animals and the potential for dispersing pollutants into […]