Compassion in World Farming aims to eliminate all practices of factory farming through peaceful protests and creating a more humane and sustainable food and farming system. They aim to do this through a 5-year strategic plan that involves recognising the problem, exposing the myth that factory farming is a ‘necessary evil’ and persuading food companies and legislators to adopt higher welfare solutions. Their vision is “a world where farmed animals are treated with compassion and respect”.

3 facts about factory farming

1. The total number of wild animals has halved in the last 40 years. Two-thirds of this decline is driven by food production; nearly half the world’s useable land surface is agricultural which drastically reduces the space for biodiversity and a variety of habitats.

2. Factory farming is the single biggest cause of animal cruelty in the world.  It restricts natural behaviours and causes suffering to animals, especially those who are confined in cages; Over 300 million farm animals are kept confined in cages in the EU alone, every single year.

3. Factory farmed animal production is hugely inefficient; for example, for every 100 calories fed to animals in the form of human-edible crops, an average of just 17-30 calories in the form of meat/milk/eggs is ‘returned’.

3 things you can do to help

1. Viewers can learn more about where their food comes from and make a more conscious choice to eat free-range or organic meat, milk and eggs to support higher welfare farming.

2. Viewers can consider reducing the amount of animal products they consume and increase the amount of plant-based food in their diet.

3. Viewers can add their voice to the animal welfare movement through engaging with campaigns, signing petitions and donating, to support organisations such as CIWF driving change for animal welfare at scale. Together we can create change for the animals and we need more voices than ever to support the movement for better welfare, biodiversity, social justice and planetary health.