A new report by WSPA demonstrates how far from benefiting those suffering from poverty and hunger—as once promoted by governments and development agencies—factory farming is actually part and parcel of the poverty problem.

“Industrial Animal Agriculture — Part of the Poverty Problem”, written by animal welfare expert Janice Cox, shows how the cruel and hidden costs of factory farming (also known as industrial agriculture) result in lost livelihoods for people living in developing countries who depend on local farming for their survival.

Among the devastating consequences of industrial agriculture detailed in the report are:

• Putting small farmers out of business
• Destroying rural communities
• Inefficient use of land and water to grow animal feed. Factory farming requires several pounds of human edible grain to produce one pound of meat.
• Creating large-scale meat production units that are vulnerable to disease.

WSPA's concern is that smaller scale farming practices, which are generally better in terms of animal welfare and support poorer communities, are losing out.

Brazil has become the third largest poultry producer in the world run almost entirely by big corporations. As a result, in just one year over 20,000 families were forced to leave the countryside.

China is now the world's largest producer of pig meat, beef and eggs and is moving from traditional farms to larger industrial producers.  Yet rural poverty is still present in many areas. 

Time to take action

WSPA is sending the report, along with a letter calling for action on the issue, to over 1000 key stakeholders including governments and partner organizations.

“We believe factory farming is one of the root causes of hunger and poverty in the world today,” said Dena Jones, Program Manager for the WSPA in the United States. “Unless urgent action is taken, the United Nation's number one millennium goal to halve this by 2015 will never be achieved. Switching just 10 to 15 percent of the world's cereal production for animal feeds to growing crops for human consumption instead, would make a huge impact on world hunger.”

“It is time for governments to tackle the problems of factory farming now before even more communities disappear and more animals suffer,” she added. “We have already seen the damaging effects of industrial farming in the United States, and the tide is beginning to turn towards a more sustainable future.” 

Recent improvements in farm animal welfare in the United States are detailed in a brochure published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in collaboration with WSPA and others.  The brochure is available at: Improvements in Farm Animal Welfare.

Download a full copy of the report: Industrial Animal Agriculture—Part of the Poverty Problem.

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