Intensive farming on both crops and animals?

Question

what possible side affects could there be once consuming, coming into contact of or working directly with intensive farming?

are we damaging our health by using these new methods?

Answer 1

I'll focus on the part of crops since valcan provided good answers to the part concerning animals. I agree with what was written.

Intensive farming takes a lot of chemicals, including inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. This is no good to the environment since these chemicals do pollute water by run-off to rivers,ponds and oceans,and also by leaching to underground water. A lot of them cause cancer for human.

Intensive farming also requires species of crops that are genetically altered to have high resistance to stress conditions(drought tolerant, heat tolerant, etc). These seeds have to come from seed companies and while most people are not aware of this fact, the western world is controlling certain parts of the world by controlling such food supply. Is it a conspiracy? I personally don't like this.

Besides, the genetically altered crop are so popular nobody wants to grow the old species, which contain a richer gene pool. We are losing a lot of genes by this "scientific progress".  Do you know once these miracle crops are attacked by certain unexpected natural disaster( certain bugs, for example), a large portion of the world will go hungry for a long while? This is just hte nature of these miracle crop. They do so well in certain conditions, but they are also more vulnerable to some other things that would normally do less harm to older species.

All the chemicals used in intensive farming takes a strong petroleum industry to support its production. Decades ago the United Nations encouraged many "3rd world countries" ( I had to use this term although I really don't like it. Who's 1st and who's 2nd then?) to use these miracle chemicals. Some countries had to loan money from world bank to build factories to make these chemicals. Their government declared bankruptcy pretty soon, causing great instability in these countries. Who suffered? Innocent lay people. Certainly not the smart scientists who proposed it.

Organic farming can never be intensive farming because all the fertilizers take a long time to release nutrient. And intensive farming needs things to happen quickly.

Human beings are so proud of ourselves for the technology we've had so far. However, to be wise in the long term, we need to learn from the nature with a humble heart.

Answer 2

CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) are bad for the health of the animals, bad for the environment and bad for the country.

Animals living under these conditions are stressed and subject to disease, so they are given antibiotics which is in the meat they provide and that in turn creates "super bugs" which are difficult to treat.  CAFOs also produce massive amounts of manure which can cause serious environmental harm if not properly contained or managed.    

Another concern with CAFOs, is that small farms are in danger of being put out of business due to their relationship with USDA and international trade.  If small farms are put out of business, we lose genetic and geographic  diversity in our livestock,  and our food supply is more likely to be destroyed by disease or terrorism.

Answer 3

The best methods to farm intensively will use organic and sustainable methods. If you rely on chemicals to replace what Mother Nature teaches us is the correct way, you put yourself in peril first, the land that you rely on for your livelihood for many generations second, and the consumer third. That's everyone and everything that you come in contact with. I know the effects of all the chemicals and exposure. For years my family had been involved in the day to day workings of Garden Center life among other things. A family member was severely affected just from being in the retail/ wholesale area and did not even actually use the products.

Intensive farming feeds the world, but when chemicals come in contact with our food, that is not a good thing. With all the research done, and more coming, we know that as a truth. We need to take a slight loss of yield and a few little spots on an apple in stride as the price of chemicals is too big a price for too long a time. In a world where not everyone farms, where we have a culture and people who wish to pursue other things, we need some intensive food production. But we can do it so as there is no bad impact, rather we can improve the land while still feeding the people. So we can have our culture and enjoy it too.

Answer 4

yes it is very bad for the environment and the livestock... stressed animals require more treatment/ antibiotics and time to raise to slaughter. also the immune system is lowered... many say that the same is true with plants  also... it is depleting the nutrients from the soil.. and erosion sets in ... remember the Great dust bowl... and the continuing problems in Africa are direct results of  *intensive farming"... often this also negates the use of crop rotation... just grow one/two crops till the land is depleted... also deforestation

Answer 5

If you live in a city, you do not want "intensive" farming to end.  You will starve to death!  The greatest threat to our health is not the farming methods, but the processing after the agricultural products leave the farm.  The addition of chemicals to our foodstuffs is what is really bad for our health.

Most people that are against the farming business are "city folk" that have never seen a farm except through the window of a car.

As far as organic farming, the biggest problem people in farming communities have is the organic part.  You know, organic fetilizer.  Of course, without "intensive" livestock there is little organic fetilizer to be had on a farm.  Too many folk stop to think though the whole picture.

But, then some people think that food comes from the supermarket and farms are not even needed.

Answer 6

Intensive and sustainable agriculture are very safe practices to use in the production of food and fiber.

Intensive grazing uses the concept of over populating small parcels (paddocks) of land for short periods of time to harvest the grass grown. Then moving those animals some times twice a day depending on management. One would have sufficient paddocks to allow for optimum regrowth before re-grazing a paddock. The benefits, the animal is eating lush grass at its optimal dietary benefit. The animal is harvesting the grass, as well as spreading its own manure, eliminating the need for mechanical harvesting and spreading. Both of which save energy.

Answer 7

If intensive farming of either crops or livestock is doen properly considering all nutrient requirements and the balance between nutrients it creates no problems.  It is only when imbalances are allowed to occur that we create problems.  The harder we push production the more likely we are to create an imbalance, but that can be overcome.