Latest news with #CompassioninWorldFarming
Scoop
14 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Factory Farms And The Next Pandemic: How Industrial Animal Agriculture Fuels Global Health Threats
Throughout human history, zoonotic diseases, illnesses that jump from animals to humans, have shaped civilizations, triggered pandemics, and rewritten the course of economies. The Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the 14th century, originated from bacteria transmitted by fleas that lived on rats. Ebola, HIV, and SARS-CoV-2, which caused COVID-19, all had animal origins. As humanity's relationship with animals has become increasingly industrialized through factory farming, the risk of zoonotic spillover has escalated. Some diseases are transmitted through direct contact with animals, such as rabies from a bite or tuberculosis from infected cattle. Others spread through the consumption of poorly cooked meat, contaminated dairy products, or wet markets that sell live animals. Vector-borne diseases, where insects like mosquitoes and ticks act as intermediaries, transfer pathogens from animals to humans. Factory Farms and the Growing Threat of Zoonotic Pandemics The intensification of industrial agriculture has amplified these risks. The crowded, high-density conditions of factory farms create a breeding ground for disease. Animals raised in confined spaces experience high levels of stress, which weakens their immune systems and increases their susceptibility to infections. When a pathogen emerges in this environment, it can mutate rapidly and spread with alarming efficiency. This is particularly concerning with influenza viruses, which frequently originate in birds and pigs before adapting to humans. Bird flu has been detected in sheep, raising concerns about the virus's ability to cross species boundaries. Such a discovery underscores the unpredictability of zoonotic diseases, particularly in terms of cross-species transmission and the potential for rapid evolution of health threats. Philip Lymbery, author and global CEO of Compassion in World Farming, thinks the danger is serious: 'Factory farms are a ticking time bomb for future pandemics,' he says. 'Hundreds of coronaviruses are in circulation, most of them among animals including pigs, camels, bats, and cats. Sometimes those viruses jump to humans.' Antibiotics, widely used in industrial farming to promote growth and prevent disease, exacerbate the issue. Overuse has led to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can jump to humans through direct exposure, contaminated food, or environmental runoff from farms. The World Health Organization has repeatedly warned that antibiotic resistance could become one of the greatest threats to human health, rendering common infections untreatable. COVID-19 was a wake-up call, but it was not the first time a zoonotic virus wreaked havoc on global health. The HIV/AIDS epidemic, which originated from nonhuman primates, has killed over 40 million people since it emerged in the 20th century. The 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic, which was linked to pig farming, spread globally within months. Bird flu strains continue to pose a significant threat, with highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) causing sporadic human infections, resulting in a fatality rate of over 50 percent. Reimagining Protein: Innovations That Could Prevent the Next Pandemic Despite these risks, the global demand for animal protein is surging. Humans now eat 350 million metric tons of meat annually, nearly 'a thousand Empire State Buildings in carcass weight,' according to academic and writer Tim Searchinger. The United Nations estimates that meat production will increase by more than 70 percent by 2050. This trajectory presents challenges not only for climate change, deforestation, and water pollution but also for the likelihood of future pandemics. However, emerging innovations in food technology present possible solutions. Precision fermentation and cultivated meat are being explored as methods to reduce dependence on traditional livestock. Precision fermentation, which is used to produce dairy-identical proteins without the need for cows, utilizes engineered microbes to create compounds such as whey and casein. Cultivated milk, bio-identical to cow milk but grown in a bioreactor rather than in a cow, is expected to enter the market soon. Cultivated meat, grown from animal cells in bioreactors, provides real meat without the need for slaughterhouses or crowded factory farms. These technologies have the potential to transform global protein production, significantly lowering the risk of zoonotic disease spillover. Because they bypass live animals, they eliminate the risks associated with confined feeding operations, antibiotic resistance, and cross-species viral mutations. Studies suggest that precision fermentation and cultivated dairy could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 96 percent compared to conventional dairy farming. Jeff Tripician, who has worked in the meat industry for 40 years, recently moved to head a cultivated meat company based in the Netherlands. He told the Future of Foods Interviews podcast that, 'Cultivated meat is the only solution on the table.' In regard to bird flu, he went on to say that, 'Livestock disease could wipe out huge areas of herds. We're seeing that in the U.S. with egg-laying hens. Eight percent of the supply has been euthanized.' Challenges for alternative proteins remain, including regulatory hurdles, production scaling issues, and consumer acceptance barriers. Governments worldwide are still determining how to classify and approve these products for sale, with Singapore leading the way in regulatory approval for cultivated meat. The U.S., Israel, and UK regulators are following closely behind, but widespread commercialization is still a few years away. Affordability is also a concern. Although costs are declining, cultivated meat remains significantly more expensive than conventional meat. However, as production scales, prices are expected to fall. A Turning Point: Reducing Pandemic Risk Through Food System Reform The transition away from industrial animal farming will take time, but the need for change is apparent. If the world continues down its current path, the risks of future pandemics will only grow. Addressing this problem requires serious attention, including government policies that promote alternative proteins, investment in food technology, and increased public awareness of the health impacts of factory farming. Experts in epidemiology, virology, and food innovation continue to examine the intersection of food production and disease risk. Dr. Michael Greger, physician and author of Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching, has long warned about the pandemic potential of factory farming. Dr. Rob Wallace, an evolutionary biologist and author of Big Farms Make Big Flu, examines how industrial agriculture fuels the evolution of viruses. Journalists covering the relationship between food, health, and climate change will need to monitor closely how food production impacts disease risk. There is no single solution, but reducing reliance on industrially farmed animals could significantly lower the likelihood of the next global pandemic. Author Bio: Alex Crisp is a freelance journalist focusing on environment, animal welfare, and new technology. He has a background in law, journalism, and teaching. He is the host of theFuture of Foods Interviews podcast.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'Cruel' animal welfare practices 'could be imported to UK due to new trade deal'
As Britain and India sign a new trade deal, Animal Policy International revealed the immense suffering of hens confined to battery cages raising concerns about the potential increase in cruel imports Animal charities have joined forces to issue a stark warning about low welfare standards as Britain agrees to a new trade deal. Compassion in World Farming, the RSPCA and Animal Policy International (API) say British consumers could be buying products of practices that are too cruel to be carried out here. James West, Chief Public Affairs Manager at Compassion in World Farming, said: 'Right now is a pivotal time for protecting animal welfare, as the UK Government is currently preparing to announce a new trade strategy. Alarmingly, the UK risks undermining its animal welfare laws and disadvantaging British farmers if the Government allows imports of meat, eggs and dairy produced to lower standards than here.' As Britain and India agreed a long-desired trade deal on Tuesday, a probe by API reveals the immense suffering of hens confined to battery cages on its egg farms raising concerns about the potential increase in cruel imports to the UK. The animal welfare group found overcrowded conditions on Indian farms with up to 10 hens crammed into cages typically used for two-to-three birds , hens with injuries, swollen glands and beaks, dead birds left lying around the cages and insufficient and poorly maintained water access points. India is the world's third biggest egg producer, with 80-90% of hens in battery cages with plans to expand their export market. These systems severely restrict hen movement and natural behaviours, causing significant welfare issues. The British Egg Industry Council has warned that while fresh shell egg imports may not pose a major threat, processed egg products present a serious concern. Liquid or powdered egg imports from countries, like India, using production methods banned in the UK, could severely impact the domestic industry. With approximately a fifth of British eggs used for egg products, competition from lower-welfare imports could force UK egg processors out of business, disrupt the supply chain and potentially raise consumer prices. Vietnam is another potential country for imports. Mandy Carter, Co-Executive Director at Animal Policy International, said: 'We know that British people care deeply about animal welfare, yet we continue to see animals suffering in horrific conditions overseas, specifically for the UK market, in conditions like that as seen in the footage from Vietnam and India. By allowing imports that flout our welfare standards, we risk plunging into a race to the bottom that compromises the welfare of animals, the integrity of British values, and the livelihoods of our farmers.' A new report released by Animal Policy International, Compassion in World Farming and the RSPCA has found that 49 of the 58 countries with which the UK has, or is negotiating, free trade agreements (FTAs) with, have lower farmed animal welfare standards than the UK. The report warns that many animal products imported into the UK are produced using methods that are illegal here, and there is an urgent need to address this issue to avoid it worsening with new trade deals that could undermine both British values and higher welfare UK farmers. This includes a trade deal with the US which is rumoured to include chicken, pork and beef. Previous negotiations with the US saw the US Government push aggressively for unrestricted access to the UK market for agri-food products, including hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken, both practices that are illegal in the UK. The United States has no federal legislation protecting farmed animals during rearing and the Animal Welfare Act 1966 explicitly excludes farmed animals, including poultry and fish, from its scope, creating a vastly different regulatory environment to the UK. Battery cages for layer hens are only banned in eleven US states. Similarly, sow stalls, which severely restrict movement for pregnant pigs, remain legal in 39 US states despite being banned in the UK since 1999. Painful procedures like tail docking and castration on pigs are routinely performed without pain relief in US farming operations. US poultry are excluded from humane slaughter laws, with no federal requirements for stunning before slaughter. Additionally, antibiotic use per animal in US farming averages five times higher than in the UK, with particularly stark differences in cattle (9-16 times higher) and turkeys (5.5 times higher). Mexican production standards feature minimal safeguards for the welfare of pigs, cattle, and chickens. The use of sow stalls, illegal in the UK, is permitted throughout Mexico. Additionally, Mexican regulations do not mandate pain relief for common procedures like castration and tail docking. Entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star, Debora Meaden who penned the foreword for the report, said: 'Closing this "welfare gap" must be a priority. It's about integrity. We don't just want suffering outsourced overseas - we want an end to farmed animal cruelty entirely.' A Government spokesperson said: "We will only ever sign trade agreements which aligns with the UK's national interests, and we will not lower our high food standards."
