In the realm of agriculture, the impact we have on the planet is profound. From the way we grow, raise, transport, process and store food and agricultural products to the sheer scale of our operations, it is clear that agriculture plays a significant role in shaping our environment.
However, the practices associated with modern farming, including using fertilisers, pesticides, and concentrated animal feeding operations (Cafos), have led to alarming pollution levels. This report aims to shed light on industrial agriculture’s extensive and diverse impacts on our planet.
One of the pressing issues with Cafos is the management of animal waste. Instead of proper treatment, the waste is often spread untreated on land. Due to excessive amounts of manure, beyond the land’s natural absorption rate, runoff into water sources occurs frequently. Moreover, the manure is stored in large, unlined lagoons that can overflow or leak, contaminating the soil and groundwater with a toxic mixture of antibiotics residue, chemicals, and decomposing waste.
Poultry waste, which primarily consists of dry litter, poses similar problems. Its high phosphorus content makes it prone to causing phosphorus runoff, further harming waterways.
The widespread use of antibiotics in non-sick animals for meat production has contributed to the alarming rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Approximately two-thirds of antibiotics important for human medicine in the United States are sold for use in livestock. The consequences of antibiotic resistance are dire, with an estimated 1.27 million people dying annually worldwide due to antibiotic-resistant infections.
Farmers commonly employ pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides and fungicides to combat unwanted weeds, insects, rodents and fungi. Unfortunately, these toxic chemicals have far-reaching side effects. Pesticide exposure has been linked to chronic diseases such as endocrine and neurological disorders and cancer.
