Every year, 50 billion animals are raised and slaughtered in highly intensive food production, factory farming. Many of them experience great suffering. Their cages and stalls can be so cramped that they can barely move, and they are bred for rapid growth and live in substandard conditions, causing stress, injury and disease.
Even if non-human animals don’t morally matter as much as humans, there’s good evidence that they are conscious, and that they feel pain — and as a result, the poor conditions in factory farms are likely causing animals to experience severe suffering. In some places, practices that cause intense pain, such as castrating pigs or docking (cutting off) their tails without anesthesia, are also allowed.
Source: Our World in Data
Despite the scale of the problem, it is relatively overlooked. Around 3,000 professionals work on the issue and 300 million dollars are spent annually to reduce suffering. Potential solutions include strategic advocacy to reduce demand for the products we get from animals, working for legislation that improves their conditions, and developing plant-based alternatives to animal foods.
Simon is a Researcher at Wild Animal Initiative, where he uses his knowledge from his PhD in evolutionary biology, and his aptitude for research, to improve the lives of wild animals – a highly neglected field.
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Factory Farming – article by 80,000 Hours
Animal welfare cause area profile – article by EA Sweden
Treatment of Animals in Industrial Agriculture – article by Open Philanthropy
How to end factory farming in our lifetime – interview in the 80,000 Hours podcast