The widespread practice of factory farming livestock provides a breeding ground for new viruses to form and spread among animals, which can then spread to humans.
Factory farming generally refers to mass-farming livestock animals in large, indoor industrial facilities known as CAFOs, or concentrated animal feeding operations. The objective of factory farming is to maximize production while simultaneously minimizing costs.
Due to this, CAFOs typically neglect the health and welfare of the animals within, providing poor sanitary conditions and overcrowded living spaces. These conditions create the perfect environment for new diseases to form and spread among animals, alarming public health experts.
The overcrowded nature of factory farms not only makes it easier for viruses to spread from animal to animal, but it also causes stress and weakens the immune systems of the animals within. This, and the inadequate ventilation and sunlight in CAFOs further amplifies the spread of diseases in factory farms.
Additionally, the different animal species being confined so close together allows new viruses to evolve and jump to multiple different animal species. Eventually these new strains can spread to humans too, such as through human workers at CAFOs and the surrounding residential communities.
A 2015 publication in Oxford Academic noted that even though most influenzas are impossible to identify the exact origin and evolution of, factory farms are a major cause of new strains.
Despite that the public health risks posed by factory farms have been public knowledge for years, a 2024 estimate from the Sentience Institute found that about 99% of all livestock in the US are being factory farmed.
The new H5 bird flu outbreak that is currently sweeping the nation has resulted in 69 confirmed human cases across 12 states and 1 human death so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The source of most of these cases are cattle and poultry, and over 1000 dairy herds and 162 million poultry infection have been detected.
While the situation is actively under surveillance by the CDC, many animal welfare organizations like World Animal Protection have highlighted the situation as a reminder of the dangers of factory farming, calling for stronger government action and public pressure on the matter.
