SMALL FARMS OR INDUSTRIALIZED FARMS

Small Farms or Industrialized Farms: Comparative Analysis

Small Farms or Industrialized Farms: Comparative Analysis

Industrial Farms

Industrialized farms, also known as mega farms or factory farms, are large agribusiness corporations that practice confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The industrial approach to farming originated in the 1920s with the advent of adding vitamins A and D to animal feed. This enabled the raising of farm animals indoors year-round because the nutrients provided by vitamins offset the necessity of exercise and sunshine (White, 2010). Since the 1980s, the trend has been toward replacing the traditional family farm with increasing numbers of confined animal feeding operations (Park, 2010). Critics of industrialized farms believe that rural communities suffer socially and economically when family farms are put out of business. In addition, industrialized farms have been condemned for their environmental impact and treatment of animals.

Supporters of industrialized farms emphasize the competition of the free market and the benefits to consumers. Today, these operations dominate the beef, dairy, pork, poultry, and egg-laying industries. The most defining characteristic of an industrialized farm - and one of the most often criticized - is the sheer number of animals being raised, often in extremely cramped spaces (Singer, 2006).  Another common feature of the industrialized farm is the consolidation of the various processes that take, for instance, a pig from birth to the grocery store (Singer, 2006). It is now common for a single company to own and operate the facilities that breed, birth, raise and slaughter animals (Miller, 2010).

The industrialized farm is very different from traditional farming. To begin with, industrial farms are owned, managed, and worked by separate entities. Farmers, for example, do not own the animals in the industrialized farm. Instead, they are labourers who raise the animals according to a formula dictated by the end-processor, whether an egg company, dairy corporation, or meat packer (Park, 2010). Industrial farms are also vertically integrated; the same corporation often controls all aspects of production, including producing, owning, slaughtering, and marketing the animal products (White, 2010). The most controversial difference between industrialized farms and the traditional farm is that the corporate owners of industrialized farms set up industrial sites for raising animals where hundreds or thousands of farm animals are confined at a single location, often inside completely enclosed buildings (Park, 2010). Such a compact operation reduces the expense of labour and the amount of land needed.

Critics on Industrial Farms

The corporations that generally own the industrialized farms say that such consolidation - as well as the massive number of animals involved in the typical industrialized farm operation - allows the companies to reduce costs. Critics say that the price of a dozen eggs or a gallon of milk is far below what it would otherwise be (White, 2010). Opponents claim that industrialized farms have a negative impact on the animals, communities, and the environment. The Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) was one of the first groups to oppose industrialized ...