FACTORY FARMING - THE CONTAGION OF FREE TRADE
New diseases in animals are emerging and more virulent forms
of old diseases are increasing. Epidemics are an intrinsic
part of factory farming and industrial agriculture.
In the UK, more than two million cattle were found to be
infected with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) - mad
cow disease. By August 2002, 133 people had died from the
Variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (VCJD) - the human
equivalent of BSE.
In 2001, an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK led
to the slaughter of more than five million animals, costing
the government two billion pounds in direct payment to
farmers alone.
The swine fever in Asia led to the killing of millions of
pigs. A newly- emerged nipah strain killed 100 pig farm
workers, infected 150 with non- fatal encephalitis and
led to the slaughter of a million pigs to control the
disease. ...
Industrial farming is a highly inefficient form of
production when viewed from the perspective of animals
and humans.
It is efficient only from the perspective of trade and
industry which externalises all environmental and health
costs and leaves the planet and people with the burden of
pollution and disease.
According to data from the US itself, it takes 16 kg of
grain to produce a kg of beef. The UK poultry industry
states that it takes 1.6 kg of feed to produce one kg of
animal meat of which only 33.7 per cent is edible.
In terms of the feed/food ratio, industrial farming is a
negative economy which consumes more than is produced.
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