Mega-Factory Farms and American Well Being: A Story

Ohio rural citizens are in good company with their fight against Mega-Dairy Farms. From California to Maine, citizens are rising against the continued onslaught of factory farms, mega dairies, and corporate agribusiness. Why all the stink?

The problem with factory farm operations is the ferocious smell polluting the air. Like the smell of rotten meat, the obnoxious smell emanating from those farms is symptomatic of a more serious problem. Just as eating rotten meat will make you ill, so will breathing the air polluted by factory farms.

In order to see why factory farms pose a serious environmental problem, let's take a virtual tour of one. The first thing seen is the typical green fields, big barns, silos, a house or two in the distance. As we move beyond the visual appeal, we come upon the unexpected. Right before our eyes is a torrential river of liquid cow patties flowing from mega-barns to mega-cesspools. Moving closer, a mega-lake comes into view were fish die from the sudden implosion of poisoned fertilizer, and careless workers from the toxic fumes. Near the toxic lake is a little warning sign. On the sign is written, "Beware: A toxic lake filled with all kinds of bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and enough bomb material to blow up all of Ohio." Okay, that was a slight exaggeration.

Now picture a gradual oozing of bovine toxic waste seeping down under to rural water supplies, three nearby creeks, and who knows what. Not just any seeping toxic waste, no sir, but the bovine kind that carries all kinds of bacteria and viruses like mutant e-coli.

As we near the mega barn complex, we notice a very orderly set up. Besides wide, clean rows, there's nothing but cows. Cows...cows...and more cows. Hundreds of cows. Nothing but small cubicles of cows, and that's part of the problem. Theses cows don't live normal lives. They don't get to go home at the end of the day. They are not allowed to graze in those green pastures. They never enjoy a nap in the fields. They are confined, imprisoned, in their little sterile cubicles all of their lives.

As we stand in awe of the efficiency of injustice, we see workers prodding all of those cows to another mega barn. Like the previous barn, our eyes behold a well ordered concrete maze of cows, stalls, machines, hoses and pipes. White milk is flowing all over the place. After those poor cows have been drained of all their milk—which was meant for their offspring, they are marched right back to their cubicles. Utterly drained of their energy, they fall down, and get a little rest before the next round of abuse.

While watching all of this, I saw a mega-factory farm manual lying on table. I probably wasn't supposed to look at it. But, hi it, I read something very disturbing. The proper mega-farm operation must keep bovines perpetually impregnated for maximum production. Read mega-dollars. They use various artificial insemination techniques which utilizes hormones and drugs. It appears they are supposed to manipulate and control the entire reproduction cycle by artificial means. In another chapter, it says if a new born calf is male it should be immediately processed for sale to a slaughter house.

Now, I understand why a whole bunch of cows seemed extremely upset. I saw several semi-trucks loaded with very young calves leaving the farm. Those cows weren't being irritable because they were drained. They must have been weeping and wailing, like Rachel, for her children. Just think how terrified those kidnapped baby calves must have been. No wonder cows on those farms get the mad disease.

As I stand here pondering about all of this, I'm beginning to feel sick to my stomach. It must be because of the idea of having eaten beef filled with the effects of drugs, trauma, and injustice perpetrated by mega-factory diary farms. Maybe, I'm coming down with the mad about cow disease.

I know concerned citizens across the nation have caught the big-factory-corporate mad dairy cow disease. They're mad about the harm already being done to the environment by these farm operations. How harmful is dropping dead from breathing toxic bovine do-do? Family farmers and other citizens are also mad about greedy and otherwise stupid politicians attempting to cover it up. If not covering it up, then about legislating it out of public accountability. Where accountability isn't an issue, they're nearly red-faced about the green bull s— converted into the currency of marketing propaganda.

Maybe we all should catch the mad about cow disease too.

Photo credit: factoryfarm.org