BLOG ENTERY: 7 THE MATRIX ISSUE

 

 

FACTORY FARMING

 
One of the major issues in the matrix issue is factory farming. Factory farming is a modern type of agriculture and raising livestock’s which requires huge amounts of capitals, large farm lands and minimum labor. Animals are crowded into confined facilities and raised on limited lands, with no excess to fresh air, grasses and sunlight. Using pesticides, chemicals and machinery to grow crops and eliminate intense labor. The advancement in technology and modernization has led to increasing problems of factory farming. The factories are owned by big corporations and in order to maximize profit, everything is produced in large volume. These corporations are not concerned about its costumer and have no regard for the environment, animal welfare, and water quality or food safety.

Animals like cows, pigs and poultry are crowded closely together inside concrete facilities and are only fed grains such as corns and soy which fattens the cattle quickly along with antibiotics. Huge amount of waste is generated but are not treated as treatment is expensive. Animal waste releases harmful gases like methane which causes environmental problems. The wastes are dumped in the soil and mix with water leading to soil and water pollutions. The chemicals and fertilizers also damages soil and pollute water.

Another issue is since these facilities are over-crowded and stressful to animals, making it easy for disease to spread. This eventually causes public health hazards. There are about million chickens and hogs in one facility. And this is the reason for widespread swine flu and bird flu in many countries. Not only the animals but also the people working inside factory farms are prone to diseases. And these factory farm workers are some of the lowest paid workers, mostly immigrants. Also the working conditions inside such facilities are horrifying. Some of the hardest and risky jobs are inside the slaughterhouses. These workers are prone to deadly accidents that take place in slaughterhouses.  The factory farms are owned by big corporations who only aim to make profits. They disregard the welfare of the workers, animals and hardly care about environmental depletion. Corporate owners are socially irresponsible. Family farms are turned into big factory farms where everything is operated with machines. These farms have become threat to small farmers as the prizes of products are controlled by big corporates. The true cost is paid by local farmers and the public who pay heavy taxes.

  But we the consumers can put end to factory farms. These factories started mainly because of demand for such products.  Firstly we can start buying vegetables meats and fruits from local farmers. This way our money goes directly in the hands of the farmer and not the corporates. We have to learn to be sustainable consumers and also become sustainable shoppers. Also we can try to become vegetarian slowly by cutting meat one day a week. Also communities can come together and start community farms. And form groups to spread awareness and encourage local farmers. Low demand will automatically lead to downfall of factory farms and thus we can stop using products produced by big corporates.
People can pressurize the government to impose strict laws against big corporates farms. Thus these are the few things we can do individually and as a community to stop factory farming and encourage local farmers.