Amber Smith

Mr. Schweickert

English IV Honors

20 April, 2017

Neo-Imperialism in Factory Farming

Companies print these beautiful packages for meat and dairy products with bright, joyful

animals that reads, organic and cage-free. Companies insinuate that animals are treated and

cared for morally and legally correct. The government has laws and certifications in place but are

not strict on how they are enforced and have no laws put into place for animal cruelty in factory

farms. Factory farms are imperialistic because the government and companies hide how meat

products are truly collected. If people continue to be concealed from the truth of where meat

products come from, the death threatening consequences will continue to rise.

Corporations hire low wage workers to cut off the beaks of chickens because when

chickens are deprived of grass, sunlight, and stuffed into small areas the stress makes them peck

at each nonstop (1). This is just the start of animal cruelty on factory farms. At these farms

animals are packed into confined areas and raised for the sole purpose of slaughtering. When

confined like this animals are more susceptible to disease and infection, this is where antibiotics

come in hand. If given antibiotics to keep them alive, it creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria for

humans and this means the company is no longer organic. Organic farms will refuse to give

antibiotics to animals for things like, infected cow udders, due to the fear of losing their organic

certification.

The government controls certifications and the treatment of animals on farms. The only

law that protects animals is the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act which states animals should
be unconscious during the slaughter process. According to Factory Farming Awareness Coalition,

this law applies to less than 3% of all farm animals. And it turns out the USDA isn't enforcing

this law even for the 3% of animals it applies to. (2) The government also allows corporations

to pay workers low wages and have them exposed to hazards conditions. The Factory Farming

Awareness Coalition also states, Factory farms also became immune from the Right-to-Know

Act, which gives workers and communities the right to know what toxic chemicals they're being

exposed to. Factory farms are a hazardous industry that exploits workers and the animals (3).

The government needs to have more control over these issues and stop hiding them from the

public.

Imperialism in factory farms is a huge issue that needs to be stopped. Factory farms are

shown off by the government and corporations as happy, safe, and legally correct. However, in

reality factory farming is the opposite. Animals are abused, workers are taken for granted, and

citizens are being lied to. The government and corporations need to fix and change their policies

to better benefit the animals, workers, and people.

(1) "Factory Farming: Misery for Animals." PETA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.
(2) Posted by Katie Cantrell 144sc on August 06, 2013. "Isn't That Illegal?" Factory

Farming Awareness Coalition. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.

(3) "Factory Farm Workers." Factory Farm Workers | Food Empowerment Project.

N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.