Summary of Daniel Imhoff's "The CAFO Reader" introduction. (polished)

 In this post, I will be discussing the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, and the issues that come with it.

In the short introduction of "The CAFO Reader", Daniel Imhoff helps the reader brace their self for the shocking truth of what goes on behind our concentrated animal feeding operations. He discusses a number of effects CAFO's have on us and not only as eaters, but as living and working human beings. A small sense of awareness will rise after Imhoff prepares you for his further facts and experiences about the economical, health and medical, veterinary and animal cruelty, agricultural, ethic, as well as many other issues behind the ‘cheap’ and great tasting meat factory farming has brought to us.

Imhoff’s introduction illustrates some facts about how factory farming has affected each individual meat and non-meat eater’s life including “10 billion domesticated livestock mostly chickens, pigs, and cows are raise and slaughtered annually” or the fact that the number just mentioned is double of what our meat production was in 1980. Although this may seem uninteresting to someone completely senseless to animal cruelty and to what animal husbandry has transformed into, these facts aren’t only targeting animal lovers, since Imhoff also states “It is not uncommon for a CAFO on 100 acres to generate the same amount of sewage as a city of 100,000 inhabitants”. With this sewage being released in football field-sized ponds, another ‘small’ percentage added to the pollution of our environment.

According to the introduction of “The CAFO Reader”, corporations behind slaughterhouses and factory farms are running the country and hold our future in the palm of their hands. And as the slaughter continues to rise, man kind will continue to collapse through health issues such as obesity, diabetes, as well as various other types of heart disease caused by our very own concentrated animal feeding operations.