For decades, factory farms have subjected animals and workers to abuse, and polluted the environment with reckless abandon. They have been able to get away with it because there is a lack of transparency and accountability, and because agribusiness has been able to influence legislative bodies to enact laws that exempt farming from basic standards of decency.

But, the various harms of factory farming are becoming painfully apparent. A couple years ago, the United Nations issued a report entitled “Livestock’s Long Shadow”, which described how the livestock industry contributes more to global warming than the entire transportation industry, and now the Environmental Protection Agency wants factory farms (along with other entities) to provide information about their green house gas emissions.

Agribusiness was angered by the idea that it might be held accountable for its emissions, and convinced federal law makers to propose legislation to exempt factory farming.  Factory farming’s arrogance, lack of accountability and failure to take responsibility for their actions continue to amaze, as do the willingness of politicians to support agribusiness’s indefensible conduct. Both need to be held accountable for their ignominious behavior.