Factory farming was only recently invented, and donating FarmKind’s top animal charities can make factory farming our past!

Factory farming is very recent

About three-quarters of the world’s livestock animals are factory farmed, and likely an even larger share if we include fish. As a result, the vast majority of animal products consumed come from factory farms. For example, research by FarmKind and Bryant Research shows that over 99% of broiler chickens sold in the United States are raised on the very largest factory farms.

We didn’t always get most of our animal products from factory farms. They emerged in the mid-20th century because of an increasing demand for animal products, as well as technological advances that allowed for large-scale food production at lower cost.

Widespread availability of antibiotics and growth hormones in the 1950s allowed farmers to raise animals in confined spaces without significant disease outbreaks. Simultaneously, advancements in breeding, feeding, and processing techniques further increased efficiency.

Poultry was the first sector to adopt factory farming methods widely. By the 1960s, chickens were routinely raised in large indoor facilities. The pork industry followed suit in the 1970s with the popularisation of confinement systems for pigs.

The dairy industry also transformed, with small family farms giving way to large-scale operations utilising milking machines and specialised breeds. Beef cattle production, while less confined than other livestock, saw increased use of feedlots for fattening.

Factory farming spread globally in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly in developed countries. Growing populations and rising incomes led to plenty of demand for the increased supply of animal products: worldwide meat production increased fivefold between 1961 and 2022. 

Factory farming has significant consequences for both animal welfare and the environment. Over 200 million chickens are killed daily worldwide. Additionally, factory farming is a major driver of climate change, driving ~15% of global CO2 emissions.

As factory farming is a recent development, it isn't an inevitable system. We can produce food at a large scale in other ways, and end factory farming to reduce the suffering of the animals involved in it.

What can you do to stop factory farming?

Donating to animal welfare charities is a very effective way to reduce the harms of factory farming, as these organisations advocate for and influence animal welfare legislation, do research on factory farming practices, and work with large food corporations to adopt higher animal welfare standards. You don’t have to completely change your diet to have an impact!

Which animal charities should you donate to if you want to help the most animals? There can be big differences in effectiveness between animal charities, but this is hard for one person to figure out. That is why FarmKind has curated a list of the top animal charities that were recommended by Animal Charity Evaluators, which rigorously assesses and recommends charities that maximise impact per donation, addressing all major harms of factory farming. From this selective list, expert grantmakers further hand-pick charities to best serve your needs, ensuring comprehensive coverage of animal welfare, human welfare, and environmental issues.

One top charity is The Good Food Institute, which accelerates the global shift to sustainable food systems by promoting plant-based and cell-cultured meat alternatives through research, startup support, and policy advocacy. They do this very effectively: a $100 donation to GFI can prevent roughly as much carbon emissions as planting 34 trees (1 tonne CO2 equivalent) and prevent the suffering of hundreds of animals at the same time.