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How factory farming is shaving years off the global human life expectancy
Even people who don't eat factory-farmed produce are vulnerable to antibiotic resistance and airborne pollutants.
A new global study has linked factory farming to shorter human lifespans. The study reveals that factory farming is cutting human lifespans, accelerating environmental degradation and causing severe animal suffering.
This raises fresh concerns about the long-term viability of the world’s dominant food production model.
Released this week by the international animal welfare organisation World Animal Protection (WAP), the findings show that intensive animal agriculture is causing widespread harm, not only to farmed animals, but also to people who may never directly consume factory-farmed products.
According to the newly released Factory Farming Index (FFI), significant knowledge gaps remain regarding the full scale of the impacts associated with the immense and fast-expanding factory farming industry.
The review notes that, in 2020 alone, the production of factory-farmed animals reached a staggering 76 billion globally.
"Nearly half, or 46 per cent, of the chickens, pigs and cows raised for food were concentrated in four countries: China, Brazil, the United States, and Indonesia. The countries with the highest per capita consumption included Israel, Panama, Belarus and Qatar, where an estimated 10 animals are consumed per person annually,” the report states.
One of the most alarming findings is that factory farming is costing the world an average of 1.8 years of healthy life per person.
According to the WAP, this loss is driven by three major factors: widespread antibiotic use, toxic emissions from farms and excessive consumption of red and processed meat.
Researchers found that 66,000 tonnes of antibiotics are used on factory-farmed animals each year — double the amount used on humans.
“These drugs are routinely administered not only to sick animals, but also to healthy ones, in order to prevent disease in overcrowded and unhygienic facilities. This widespread misuse is fuelling antibiotic resistance, which is now recognised as one of the greatest threats to global health,” the report warns.
The study also links pulmonary diseases to emissions from large-scale farms, which release high volumes of ammonia, nitrous oxide and fine particulate matter from animal waste. These pollutants pose serious health risks to people living or working near such facilities.
Excessive consumption of red and processed meat, a common by-product of intensive farming, has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and potentially dementia.
The report emphasises that even individuals who do not consume factory-farmed products remain vulnerable to its impacts through antibiotic resistance and airborne pollutants.
WAP CEO Tricia Croasdell is therefore urging governments to reconsider how they feed their populations. “We need to support countries in planning for the future of food production in a way that does not damage human health, animals, or our planet,” she said.
She noted that the research aims to improve quality of life for people, which requires improving quality of life for animals too.
"This ultimately means prioritising plant-based diets, ending factory farming, and reducing the environmental impact we are all facing if we don't act," she added.
Beyond public health, the study warns that the environmental footprint of industrial farming continues to grow.
The global agrifood system is responsible for nearly 30 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.
"Factory farming is also responsible for around a quarter of all human-caused water pollution, driven by runoff containing excess nitrogen and phosphorus," the report states.
The sector accounts for around 14 per cent of global freshwater withdrawals, equivalent to 530 trillion litres per year. It also occupies cropland the size of India, much of which is dedicated to producing animal feed rather than food for people.
Alongside the environmental and human health impacts, the study reveals shocking levels of animal suffering.
Globally, chickens live just 5 per cent of their natural lifespan, while pigs live only 4 per cent.
In the United States, these figures are even lower: about 1.3 percent for chickens, or roughly 35 days, and 3 percent for pigs, or around 160 days.
Although dairy cows tend to live longer due to production cycles, 74 per cent of factory-farmed animals worldwide are raised in countries that lack proper slaughter legislation or permit slaughter without stunning.
Although the FFI suggests that stronger animal welfare standards could improve performance in some countries, the WAP emphasises that the only long-term solution is to move away from factory farming completely.
This involves promoting plant-based diets, supporting small-scale farmers who prioritise ecological stewardship and ensuring that any remaining animal farming adheres to the highest welfare and environmental standards.
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