Hog CAFO
photo from www.factoryfarm.com
More from the ECCO Flyer that was distributed door-to-door October 3, 2006...
A 2001 study conducted by John Ikerd at the University of Missouri concluded that the desire for corporate profits, not cheap meat, is the impetus for CAFOs. The study also concluded that CAFOs are not economically sustainable as they do not take into account the costs of environmental degradation, loss of property vailues and human health impacts.
CAFOs: Pros and Cons
A CAFO is a Confined Animal Feeding Operation. Some animal and environmental groups refer to CAFOs as "factory farms." Indeed, CAFOs are akin to companies or corporations rather than the small, traditional farms we imagine when eating our meat.
CAFOs specialize in on particular animal: commonly chickens, cattle or swine. Many of these companies breed, rais, feed and slaughter these animals and provide much of the meat that we see in our grocery store.
By definition, a CAFO is a facility that houses over 1000 animal units. CAFO designation for different animals include: 1000 cattle, 2500 swine and 30,000 chickens.
Some companies claim that CAFOs allow U.S. agriculture to be competitive. They argue that the development of a 1,000 head cattle CAFO can generate up to 4.3 million dollars for the economy, 80% of which stays within a fifty mile radius.
Opponents to CAFO operations argue that these facilities are cruel to animals, cause environmental damage, cause a dramatic reduction in property values and create persistent nuisance odors. Other opponents feel that CAFOs signal the end to traditional farming.
Sources Include:
www.factoryfarm.org
www.themeatrix.com
Godsmith, P., Dr. Kim J., Dr. Thomas M.H.
Farm Foundation
http://www.farmfoundation.org/documents/paper1goldsmith.pdf
I. Lerner and H. Donald, Modern Developments in Animal Breeding (London Academic Press, 1966)
Nagayets, Oksana, "Small Farms: Current Status and Key Trends." Wye College. June 26, 2005
MSU College of Law Animal Legal and Historical Center. www.animallaw.info
Ikerd, John. Economic Fallacies of Industrial Hog Production. Presentation to Sustainable Hog Farming Summit, January, 2001
Search Google with:
"CAFO economics"
"CAFO environment"
"CAFO impact"
