WSPA Report Says Factory Farming Exacerbates Global Poverty

BOSTON, May 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new report by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) says that far from benefiting those suffering from poverty and hunger -- as once promoted by Governments and Development Agencies -- factory farming is actually part and parcel of the poverty problem.

The report "Industrial Animal Agriculture -- Part of the Poverty Problem" demonstrates that the cruel and hidden costs of factory farming (also known as industrial agriculture) results in lost livelihoods for people living in developing countries who depend on local farming for their survival.

The WSPA believes the majority of industrial animal farming practices not only cause immense pain and suffering to the animals involved but are one of the causes of poverty and hunger in developing countries.

The report, written by Janice Cox, an animal welfare expert, sets out the devastating consequences of industrial agriculture, which includes:

  --  putting small farmers out of business
  --  destroying rural communities
  --  Inefficient use of land and water to grow animal feed. Factory farming
      requires several kilograms of human edible grain to produce one
      kilogram of meat.
  --  creating large-scale meat production units that are vulnerable to
      disease

The report, along with a letter calling for action on the issue, is being sent from the WSPA to over 1000 key stakeholders including Governments and partner organizations.

The WSPA's concern is that smaller scale farming practices, which are generally better in terms of animal welfare and support poorer communities, are losing out. Brazil has become the third largest poultry producer in the world almost entirely run by big corporations. As a result, in just one year over 20,000 families were forced to leave the countryside.

China is now the world's largest producer of pig meat, beef and eggs and is moving from traditional farms to larger industrial producers. However rural poverty is still present in many areas.

"We believe factory farming is one of the root causes of hunger and poverty in the world today," said Dena Jones, Program Manager for the WSPA in the United States. "Unless urgent action is taken, the UN's number one millennium goal to halve this by 2015 will never be achieved. Switching just 10 to 15 percent of the world's cereal production for animal feeds to growing crops for human consumption instead, would make a huge impact on world hunger."

"It is time for governments to tackle the problems of factory farming now before even more communities disappear and more animals suffer," she added. "We have already seen the damaging effects of industrial farming in the United States, and the tide is beginning to turn towards a more sustainable future."

Recent improvements in farm animal welfare in the United States are detailed in a brochure published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in collaboration with WSPA and others. The brochure is available at: http://www.wspa-usa.org/download/44_improvements_in_farm_animal_welfare.pdf

A full copy of the report, "Industrial Animal Agriculture-Part of the Poverty Problem," is available at: http://www.wspa-/ usa.org/download/45_wspa_poverty_report_english.pdf

The World Society for the Protection of Animals is the world's largest federation of animal welfare organizations, representing over 770 member societies in more than 147 countries. Through direct field work, campaigning, legislative work, education and training programs, WSPA strives to create a world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty ends.