Brazil Amazon fires

Protect Earth from factory farming

Farming

How does factory farming impact the planet?


Animal feed

Factory farming’s most harmful environmental impacts come from growing crops for animal feed. As demand for meat grows, these problems are intensifying.

  • Deforestation – vast areas of forest are razed to make space to grow animal feed, releasing carbon from the trees and the soil.
  • Habitat destruction – as land is cleared, wild animals lose their homes and vital ecosystems that help regulate our climate are destroyed.
  • Water scarcity – growing crops for feed requires huge quantities of water, often in regions where it’s already scarce.
  • Pesticides and fertilisers – toxic chemicals used to protect crops and promote growth seep into soil, lakes and rivers.
  • Carbon emissions – transporting animal feed around the world releases CO2 into the atmosphere.


Farming animals

Factory farms are an environmental disaster. They guzzle energy, pollute the surrounding area and release greenhouse gases that fuel climate change.

  • Methane emissions – factory farms produce huge amounts of animal manure, which releases methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas.
  • Energy use – the electricity used for heating, lighting and ventilation in factory farms has a significant carbon footprint.
  • Local pollution – urine and animal waste laden with antibiotic residue and bacteria seep from factory farms into the land and waterways around them.

It fuels climate change, destroys nature and threatens our future.

Factory farming is endangering our planet.

Our research has shown that it drives deforestation and habitat destruction, and causes greenhouse gas emissions that are fuelling the climate crisis. With demand for cheap meat growing at a startling rate, the intensive farming industry is booming. 

And it’s pushing us towards a climate catastrophe.

Australian bushfires

Join the Factory Farm Alert Network

Protect Earth from factory farming

To protect nature and meet global climate goals, we urgently need to end factory farming, reduce meat consumption and transform our food system. That means convincing investors to put their money into humane, sustainable farming and plant-based meat substitutes.

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Why we need to switch to humane farming


Farms that prioritise welfare and sustainability are better for animals, people and the planet. They use fewer resources and don’t pollute our air, water and soil. They create jobs and support local communities. And they give animals happier, healthier lives.

Want to know when there’s something you can do to help? Join us and be ready to take action for animals at a moment’s notice.

High welfare pig farm, UK

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