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 […]
Defining Industrial Animal Agriculture
5 KEY POINTS – Defining Industrial Animal Agriculture 1. Animal ag is a system of interlocking industries controlled by large corporations with increasing vertical and horizontal integration. 2. It is based on commodity production (i.e., uniform inputs and outputs). 3. The treatment of animals as commodities is based solely on productivity. 4. The system relies […]
Grazing on Federal Lands
What agencies manage grazing rights on federal lands? The two primary agencies that manage grazing on federal (public) lands are the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service (FS). How much federal land is available for grazing? There are ~252 million acres of federal land available for grazing. Land available for grazing does […]
Grazing Animal Numbers
Approximately how many cattle are there in the U.S? As of January 2025, there were ~86.7 million cattle in inventory.[1] In January 2024, there were ~87.2 million.[1] These figures include cattle raised for beef and cattle raised for milk production. USDA NASS (January 31, 2025) Cattle, ISSN: 1948-9099, p. 4. [2025 = 86,662,200 cattle; 2024 […]
Grazing Overview
What is grazing? According to the USDA grazing is “Feeding on standing vegetation, as by livestock or wild animals.”[1] Grazing allows farmed animals to be outdoors and directly consume forage: grasses, legumes, and forbs, on rangeland or pasture.[2] USDA NALT Glossary (National Agricultural Library Thesaurus) USDA NRCS (June 2022) National Range and Pasture Handbook. No. […]