What does factory farming mean?

Factory farmingFactory farming is the application of industry models and production to farms and agriculture. It stresses efficiency and maximum output, but has some terrible consequences. One such consequence is concentrated animal feeding operations--CAFOs--which packs together livestock in small areas, a major burden on the environment and animal rights groups alike. In addition, many times factory farms are a result of farm subsidies which undercuts small farmers and drives them out of business. Most of the food produced comes from one of a few large-scale processing centers. If there is bacterial contamination of any sort, tainted food can be sent anywhere from New York to India. A Second Opinion

"Factory Farming" is a term coined by animal rights activists to present the least-attractive picture to the CAFOs mentioned above. "CAFO" can actually stand for either "Confined Animal Feeding Operation" or "Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation" -- meaning that the animals are simply confined to a given space and not allowed to roam free. The poor animal welfare conditions frequently attibuted to CAFOs are actually present in less than 1% of US feeding operations, though the activists try to make the number appear much larger. Most farmers and ranchers are well aware that poor animal conditions result in higher losses and poorer profits, therefore affecting their financial bottom line. Large operations may well be the result of farm subsidies; however, since US farm subsidies are very much on the decline, these large farms now have to "sink or swim" on their own.