Animal Factory: The Looming Threat of Industrial Pig, Dairy, and Poultry Farms to Humans and the Environment [Hardcover]

David Kirby (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 2, 2010

Swine flu. Bird flu. Unusual concentrations of cancer and other diseases. Massive fish kills from flesh-eating parasites. Recalls of meats, vegetables, and fruits because of deadly E-coli bacterial contamination. 

 

Recent public health crises raise urgent questions about how our animal-derived food is raised and brought to market. In Animal Factory, bestselling investigative journalist David Kirby exposes the powerful business and political interests behind large-scale factory farms, and tracks the far-reaching fallout that contaminates our air, land, water, and food. 

In this thoroughly researched book, Kirby follows three families and communities whose lives are utterly changed by immense neighboring animal farms. These farms (known as “Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations,” or CAFOs), confine thousands of pigs, dairy cattle, and poultry in small spaces, often under horrifying conditions, and generate enormous volumes of fecal and biological waste as well as other toxins. Weaving science, politics, law, big business, and everyday life, Kirby accompanies these families in their struggles against animal factories. A North Carolina fisherman takes on pig farms upstream to preserve his river, his family’s life, and his home. A mother in a small Illinois town pushes back against an outsized dairy  farm and its devastating impact. And a Washington State grandmother becomes an unlikely activist when her home is invaded by foul odors and her water supply is compromised by runoff from leaking lagoons of cattle waste. 

Animal Factory is an important book about our American food system gone terribly wrong---and the people who are fighting to restore sustainable farming practices and save our limited natural resources. 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Following crusaders against large-scale factory farms, investigative journalist Kirby delves deep to uncover the abysmal conditions of America's food and produce industry; Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs, are revealed to be the root cause of current health crises such as swine flu and massive recalls on grocery products. Kirby presents the human side of big-business blunders and coverups. William Hughes keeps the prose engaging by shifting his tone to underplayed yet believable characterizations. He presents the bulk of the material in a straightforward, newsworthy tone capable of presenting the facts without editorializing. An eye-opening account of an escalating problem. A St. Martin's hardcover. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* In factory farms, thousands of animals are confined and rapidly fattened for slaughter, generating millions of gallons of animal waste, which is stored in open lagoons and sprayed into the air. Kirby, author of the best-selling Evidence of Harm (2005), profiles three individuals who have been subjected to the stench, mess, environmental contamination, and health risks of megafarms. Rick Dove, a Marine Corps prosecutor, retired early to enjoy the Neuse River near his North Carolinian home but instead became a devoted “riverkeeper” after witnessing massive fish kills caused by pig-factory waste. In beautiful Yakima Valley, Washington, Helen Reddout and her husband joyfully tended their fruit orchards until a megadairy fouled their property, inducing Helen to become a “warrior activist.” The same thing happened to farmer’s wife Karen Hudson in Elmwood, Illinois. Stonewalling government agencies and evasive and hostile factory-farm owners and their corporate overseers ensure that the trios’ battles for safe air and water have been protracted, complicated, and dangerous, hence the magnitude of Kirby’s meticulously detailed yet propulsive chronicle. Thanks to Kirby’s extraordinary journalism, we have the most relatable, irrefutable, and unforgettable testimony yet to the hazards of industrial animal farming.--Donna Seaman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (March 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312380585
• ISBN-13: 978-0312380588
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Kirby - www.animalfactorybook.com - has been a regular contributor to the Huffington Post since its founding in 2005, has been a professional journalist for over 15 years. Kirby has also written for a number of national magazines. In addition, Kirby was a foreign correspondent in Mexico and Central America from 1986-1990, where he covered the wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua, and covered politics, corruption and natural disasters in Mexico.

He has also done extensive consulting with the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Report Office.

Kirby worked in politics, medical research and public relations as well. He worked for New York City Council President Carol Bellamy as a special assistant for healthcare, cultural affairs and civil rights, followed by employment as chief scheduler to Manhattan Borough President David N. Dinkins. He also was a senior staff adviser to Dinkins' successful 1989 run for Mayor of New York City.

From 1990-1993, Kirby was Director of Public Information at the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR), where he acted as press spokesman for Chairwoman Elizabeth Taylor, and witnessed first-hand the inner workings of Congress, the White House and powerful Federal agencies like the FDA, CDC and NIH.

Kirby also wrote the award-winning New York Times bestseller, EVIDENCE OF HARM: Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic - A Medical Controversy (St. Martin's Press - 2005). Evidence of Harm sparked a national debate in private homes, leading universities and the halls of Congress, and Kirby has appeared on such venues as Meet the Press, Larry King Live, The Today Show, Imus in the Morning, Montel Williams, Air America, and dozens of local radio and television stations. Kirby has also been interviewed by or reviewed outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Associated Press, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Newsday, The Lancet, Salon.com and more.

He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

For interviews please contact:
Rachel Ekstrom, Publicity Manager
St. Martin's Press, 646-307-5563
[e-mail]

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 63 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Literally a growing concern March 10, 2010

By M. L Lamendola VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The book isn't objective. However, the author doesn't pretend that it is. Reading it felt like having a discussion with someone who had a particular viewpoint and was trying to persuade me to agree with it. The persuasion wasn't the cheap shot kind, and there were no leaps of logic. Nor did the author rely on disinformation (though many of his sources are noted for doing so). And, the author did present opposing viewpoints.

On this particular topic, I don't think "balanced" is possible. What is "balanced" about dumping tons of sewage into public streams? Even so, the book does somewhat give us the side of the story that the CAFOs (Confined Animal Farm Operators) want to tell.

Over the years, I've read plenty on this topic of factory farms. The author's main points are correct. I disagree with his idea (implied, not explicitly expressed) that Democrats are good and Republicans are bad. I really don't see any difference between the Crips and the Bloods other than their colors and rhetoric.

Toward the end of the book, the author discussed the hope that small farmers and anti-CAFOs had in presidential candidate B. Obama. I find such hope and trust to be naive, as the man's voting record as a senator made it clear he wasn't watching out for anyone other than special interests. The golden rule is that those who have the gold make the rules. So where big money speaks, it creates a monologue. The rest of us are disenfranchised unless we go to extraordinary lengths to be heard.

The point I just made is evident in the various accounts given throughout the book. The frustration expressed by "activist" Rick Dove sums this up several different ways, several different times. I put "activist" in quotes because it's a loaded word that often gives the wrong impression.... Dove is no pie in the sky, fact-challenged radical who wants a utopia. Using hard data, empirical evidence, and straightforward logic, this ex-Marine worked hard over many years to stop the immense damage being done by some irresponsible people. I believe all Dove has ever wanted is for people to respect the rights of others.

I would say Dove is really aiming at respecting the commons. The concept of the commons is worth exploring, if you haven't yet done so. It's really what's at the heart of this book.

On the whole, this book is informative. What I liked best, though, was Kirby's analysis of the real cost of food. As with many other things, we often don't see the real cost. It's hidden, often through externalization. The CAFOs reduce food costs at the checkout register, but greatly increase food costs elsewhere. You pay far more than it appears you do at the cash register. I won't try to sum up Kirby's analysis, because he did it so well. Read the book to see what it is.

This book is 452 pages long, with 22 pages of notes/references and a substantial index. It consists of 18 chapters and an epilogue. Though the book is long, I never got tired of reading it. The writing style is short on filler and big on keeping the reader interested. It flowed well.

The book mentions a video you've probably seen, The Meatrix. If you haven't watched it, do so. This will help give you a feel for one of the threads running through this book.

If you want to better understand how much your food really costs, this book will help you do that. I think it's a great addition to anyone's library. But more than that, I think it helps the reader understand an issue that is literally of growing importance. Read more ›

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, Should be required reading.... April 20, 2010

By wiregem

Format:Hardcover

As a person who thought herself to be fairly informed regarding food production, this book deepened my understanding of it. Not only does it present background on how CAFOs came to be, it clearly explains the effects the CAFOs have on our health and the environment, AND it takes us through HOW that happens.

Animal Factory reads almost like a novel. It is NOT a dry, facts-only, tough-to-read kind of book. It tells the stories of different farmers from throughout the country. It is one of those books that keeps you up late at night, all the while you are thinking, I **have** to get up early for work tomorrow, but yet, you keep reading. And keep on reading...

This book will increase your knowledge and understanding of industrial animal farms, whether it's pigs, cows, or dairy farms. When you do read this book, make sure to read the epilogue. There are some updates there relative to the Obama administration, and the animal industry.

This book changed my life. I am now more committed to safe food production and animal welfare! It has caused me to dig deeper and continue to research the health and environmental issues regarding food production in this country. I hope it will do the same for you.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough Report on a Major Crisis: Animal Factories Hurt ALL of Us March 7, 2010

By Susan Schenck TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Most of us are familiar with the classic book, Slaughterhouse and the movie Meet Your Meat which reveal the injustices to factory farmed animals. Perhaps we have seen a few snippets on [...], or read reviews of books by concerned animal activists.

But what you may not realize is that factory farms hurt people, too: entire communities, in fact. The book Animal Factory (a must read for all concerned -vores) reveals how the CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) are destroying the local community's air and adding to global warming. The manure, traditionally a source of fertilizer, gets sprayed all over, leaving toxic residue on houses, cars,--everywhere! It pollutes rivers to the point that the fish die in droves. Fishermen get sores and memory lapses from the toxins! Overuse of antibiotics creates harmful bacteria that don't respond to antibiotics. Novel viruses like the H1N1 swine flu flourish and spread. The community loses jobs because illegal workers must be hired to cut costs.

The animal factories are caught in the system, as they need to show profit for shareholders. Yet, a commission's report cited in this book demonstrated that the only reason these factory farms are profitable is that the externalized costs (such as the environmental cleanup) are not paid by the farm, but by the public taxpayer. The corporations are taking advantage of the system and lax laws at the expense of the people.

Also, Americans demand cheap food. People in the USA spend about half the percentage of their incomes on food as they did in 1966. But cheap at the checkout doesn't translate into cheap in the long run.... Activist Helen Reddout points out, "If you look at the actual cost of protein in the supermarket, and then factor in the corporate welfare system, and the cost of damaging the environment, creating antibiotic resistance, and sickening people who live nearby, and then if you consider the inferior product we are getting as a result, then in that sense, we have the most expensive food in the world."

This book takes us on a journey of activism, a very detailed journey starring ordinary people that were brave enough to fight back, get media attention, change some laws and raise awareness in mass consciousness that this is not just a problem, but a major crisis. These activists (which include Rick Dove, Helen Reddout and Karen Hudson as star reformers) bravely fought despite death threats, drive-by obscenities, nasty comments from neighbors, and working long hours without pay.

The book even includes the arguments used by CAFOs to defend their cruel animal policies of keeping them trapped in tiny spaces in which they often can't even turn around. They claim the animals need to be separated so that they don't establish a pecking order and fight, as well as compete for food. (By such logic perhaps all humans should be confined in prisons.)

The best thing we can do is to boycott factory farmed meat and buy it only from reputable sources, including small farmers. All meat should come from animals that are free range, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, vaccine-free. Pay double the price, if need be, for maximum quality, but just eat less. Vote with your dollar. When this idea catches on, just as organic food caught on, big stores will start providing it.

The author, an omnivore, offers us six baby steps toward a more sustainable animal diet at his website.

Susan Schenck, author of The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet
and
Beyond Broccoli, Creating a Biologically Balanced Diet When a Vegetarian Diet Doesn't Work Read more ›

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping story with lots of science, but easy to understand! March 31, 2010

By maximom229

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I LOVED THIS BOOK! The author finds a way to fit a ton of research, which is usually dry and hard to read, into a really readable story that made me not want to put it down!

Animal Factory does not aim to make a vegetarian out of the reader, something I think a lot of people will fear given the title, but on the contrary, it's more about what to look for when choosing healthy and sustainable meats, protecting the environment and people; and what can happen when the government fails, repeatedly, to do it's job.

I recommend this book to anyone who cares about their health, their community, the environment and loves a good David vs Goliath story of citizen activists. The true cost of factory farms is long-reaching and merely getting low-cost meat at the grocery can't be the only thing that matters.

Family farms matter, animal quality of life matters, the environment matters, health matters and sustainability matters. Buy this book and change your way of thinking, and be healthier for it.