99% of Farmed Animals in the US Are Factory-Farmed, Data Shows

The shocking statistics reveal how the American food system is continuing to fail animals.

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Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media

A new data report into the state of factory farming around the world has revealed sobering statistics on how the global appetite for meat is condemning millions of animals to live on factory farms.

The numbers are difficult to comprehend: over 75 billion land animals are killed for meat and other animal products every year, a figure which more than doubles if we include farmed fish.  

Of these animals, the majority are factory-farmed, according to a recent analysis by Our World in Data. Factory farms, also referred to as ‘concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO)’, are defined as farms which keep animals in confined conditions. Typically, these farms raise many animals in cramped spaces where they will have little-to-no access to the outside, and often cannot perform many natural behaviors.

Credit: Andrew Skowron / We Animals Media

How About Farmed Animals in the US?

Nearly all livestock animals in the US are factory-farmed, Our World in Data says. Publicly available figures from the government show that 10 billion animals in the US were factory-farmed in 2017 - that’s 99 percent of all livestock in the country. And to put that figure in perspective, the world’s human population is around 8 billion.

Here’s a species breakdown showing the number of animals in factory farms in the US:

The figures, analyzed by the nonprofit think tank Sentience Institute, are the most recent available, with the USDA Census of Agriculture typically publishing updated data every five years. 

“Most people are woefully wrong about where their meat comes from” the Sentience Institute says about the figures. “75 percent of US adults believe they usually buy humane products, yet only 1 percent of food animals live on non-factory farms”.

Want To Leave Animals Off Your Plate?

Every October, Species Unite holds a 30-Day Vegan Challenge to introduce you to the world of being vegan. Each day comes with new, easy recipes and tons of other advice and ideas to make the transition not only attainable but fun. 

Swapping animal products in favor of plant-based alternatives does not have to be the sacrifice that people make it out to be, but rather a way to invest in personal health and wellness, while protecting our environment and animals.

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