Factory fresh : The Big Business of meat

Most of us fondly imagine that chickens, pigs, cattle, and other livestock are raised on rural farms under the watchful eyes of caring farmers. The truth, though, is very different. It's very likely, for example, that the chicken breast you just bought in a supermarket or ordered in a restaurant came from a bird that never saw the sky, that never once in its brief life left the confines of an immense, warehouse-like breeding facility. The truth is, most of the meat consumed by Americans comes from animals raised on factory farms. All told, this is a sobering, thought-provoking book on an industry that, in its search to become ever more efficient and productive, may have become a victim of its own huge size and stunning success.

Introduction. Trends in Consolidation and Industrialization. The Problems of Bigness. Drugs on the Farm. The Impacts on Our Diet. Breeding the Perfect Pig. Good Fences, Good Neighbors. Globalization. Alternative Futures. Bibliography. Index.