Factory farming should be banned as it is abhorrently cruel to the animals and causes environmental damage. Animals in factory farms are confined to small cages and areas of confinement. They are fed the bare minimum. This provides the animals with no quality of life and harms their physical and mental wellbeing. Animals are living creatures who we share our planet with, they deserve more than to be inhumanely caged and killed for the sole purpose of making a profit. There is also stark warning from scientists that the next pandemic is very likely to stem from factory farming. Three out of four emerging diseases come from animals. It is said that the current COVID-19 pandemic originated from live animal markets, where the animals were cruelly treated, trapped in cages. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused devastation to families, mental wellbeing, the economy and countless other areas. Why would we risk such a situation again? By making unethical farming and related behaviours illegal, it would decrease the risk of more pandemics. There are also shocking statistics and figures to prove the horrific effects that factory farming has on the environment, some of which include: • Factory farms contribute to air pollution by releasing hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and methane into the atmosphere. • Factory farming is responsible for 37% of methane emissions, which is more than 20 times the global warming potential of CO2. • It is estimated that factory farming is responsible for more than 450 million tonnes of manure annually, which is 3 times more raw waste generated by Americans. Factory farming should be illegal as it is cruel, unjust and dangerous. WORKS CITED: ‘Factory Farming Cruelty: Should Factory Farms be banned?’ (9 July 2020), https://www.milliondollarvegan.com/factory-farming/ ‘Where did the new Coronavirus come from?’ (14 April 2020), https://coronavirusexplained.ukri.org/en/article/cad0006/ ’11 Facts about Factory Farms and the Environment’, https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-factory-farms-and-environment

Regardless, we need to come up with meat replacements, such as insects or lab-grown meat. It is unrealistic or even outright unfair to expect huge chunks of humanity to just drop meat. But it is also our least efficient agricultural good, on top of the ethical issues. So our best focus would be on different forms of meat.

If we get rid of the cruel conditions of factory farms, veganism would have very little to defend itself with.

Ireland's way of farming is far superior. Ireland allows animals to graze on fields, including chickens, and bring animals into sheds during nights, storms or heavy rain, etc. Of course not every country has the same climate as Ireland, which allows them to farm this way however, it's a win win. Irish people get the best quality meat and dairy in the world and animals live a normal, wildish life.

Factory as we know it today must change and it must become something less industrial and respectful, hygienic and fair