Sample Agricultural Paper on The Impact of Factory Farming
Introduction
In the past, factory farming was regarded as a technological triumph that would sustain food sufficiency in the growing world population. Today, a growing concern from various experts, including agriculturalists, as well as scientists and policymakers, perceives factory faming as a dead end, a mistaken agricultural approach, and destructive invention to the living systems (Pluhar 455). Factory farming poses serious health threats that cannot be overlooked. Several Scientific researchers have shown that the modern practice of factory farming is an increasingly acute danger to human health, the environment, and animal welfare. Until recently, animal welfare associations have avoided the controversial factory farming debates, focusing instead on other conventional aspects such as pet overpopulation and frequent instances of animal cruelty. However, a clash between the moral agents (including the animal rights activists) and the influential agribusiness businesses appears unavoidable.
Intensive animal confinement and mechanized production procedures generate an enormous volume of animal products used human consumption (Williams 373). An urgent attention on effects of factory farming to human health, environment and animals is paramount to curb possible disastrous effects in future. Failure to contain and control these methods can lead to a global crisis. Despite the many merits associated with this method, the extent of danger it poses to humanity overweighs all outstanding advantages associated with it.
The Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production investigation research 2008 on the impact of factory faming confirmed the harmful effect posed by products produced through this method and recommended a 10 year for the closure of the most intensive production techniques used in factory faming, including battery cages, force feeding birds to reap their fatty livers for foie gras and gestation crates (The Characteristics of Industrial Agriculture 1). The researchers concluded that the current factory farming is quite purely unacceptable due to its harmful effects on humans, environment, and animals. These findings came at a period when not only United States but global demand for animal products, particularly meat, has risen to their highest point yet. Based on findings explored from a variety of ethical viewpoints, especially utilitarian and rights based perspectives, there in need to consider other alternatives.
Work Cited
Pluhar, Evelyn B. “Meat and morality: Alternatives to factory farming.” Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 23.5 (2010): 455-468.
The Characteristics of Industrial Agriculture. GRACE Communications Foundation. (2016). Retrieved 14 October 2016, from http://www.sustainabletable.org/859/industrial-livestock-production
Williams, Nancy M. “Affected ignorance and animal suffering: Why our failure to debate factory farming puts us at moral risk.” Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 21.4 (2008): 371-384.