13 Disturbing World Records Held by Animal Agriculture

And why they concern us all

When people ask me about the most shocking fact I’ve learned about animal agriculture, they usually expect stories of extreme cruelty and suffering. And of course, there’s no shortage of those.

But the fact that shocked me the most — because it was the one I had understood the least before I started researching — is how this industry affects so many areas of life at once. As you’ll see, “affect” is a very mild word for it.

After carefully examining the evidence, I struggle to think of a single part of nature or society that isn’t existentially threatened by this industry. Here is why 👇

Animal agriculture is:

1) The largest act of violence in history

Animal agriculture is the largest act of systematic violence and oppression in the history of this planet. The scale of suffering caused is unmatched, in terms of the vastness of the industry’s infrastructure, its global reach, and the sheer number of violent acts involved.

2) The leading cause of deforestation

No industry drives deforestation more than animal farming, which clears forests for pastureland and to grow crops for animal feed. Meat production alone drives deforestation five times more than any other sector.

3) The leading cause of rainforest destruction

In particular, animal farming is the primary driver of rainforest destruction, responsible for 80% of deforestation throughout the Amazon. The industry has been identified as the “number one culprit” of deforestation in virtually every Amazon country.

4) The most serious threat to our oceans

Between 3 and 6 billion wild fish are killed for human consumption per day, and up to 50kg of fish are thrown away for every kilogram that arrives on land. Overfishing is recognized as “the most serious threat to our oceans”. Over one million turtles, seals, dolphins, and seabirds are killed each year as fishing “bycatch.” Fish farming is not a sustainable solution, either, as it pollutes ecosystems, spreads diseases, and relies on harmful chemicals, all while causing severe animal suffering.

5) The leading cause of eutrophication

Eutrophication occurs when excess nutrients — mainly nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from animal agriculture — enter water bodies, leading to massive algal blooms. When these algae die and decompose, they consume large amounts of oxygen, making it impossible for most marine life to survive. Habitats that would normally be teeming with life become, essentially, biological deserts. These so-called “ocean dead zones” have increased dramatically. Almost half of the world’s ocean life has died off since 1970.

6) The leading cause of antibiotic resistance

Globally, around 73% of all antibiotics aren’t used on humans, but on animals raised for food. This accelerates the rise of antibiotic resistance, a significant global health threat that is projected to kill more people than all types of cancer combined by 2050. If not prevented through decisive action, we will soon live in a post antibiotic era where many types of diseases are untreatable. Animal agriculture is not only the leading cause of antibioitic resistance but also the only one that is entirely avoidable.

7) The leading driver of pandemic risk

Intensive animal farming — the source of nearly all animal products in the U.S. — is recognized as the “single most risky human behavior” for pandemics. Crowded into tight spaces, farmed animals are subjected to high stress levels, insufficient sunlight, open wounds, and poor ventilation. These environments are not just inhumane; they are ideal breeding grounds for the next pandemic. No wonder agriculture is referred to by experts as an “infectious disease trap,” a “ticking time bomb for future viruses,” a “ticking pathogen bomb,” and a “hidden pandemic time bomb.”

8) The largest user of land

Agriculture takes up 45 times more land than all other human activities combined. Animal agriculture, in particular, is the world’s largest user of land by a wide margin. Research shows that transitioning to a plant-based food system would cut humanity’s total land use by over 70%, unlocking immense potential for restoring ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, fighting climate change, and improving food security.

9) The leading cause of biodiversity loss

The United Nations has identified the global food system as the leading driver of habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, with animal agriculture being the primary culprit. Experts estimate that shifting to a plant-based food system could prevent the extinction of 155,000 species by significantly reducing water use and pollution, as well as land use and deforestation.

10) The largest emitter of methane

Animal agriculture is the world’s largest source of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that is about 25 times more climate-damaging than CO₂. Scientists emphasize that cutting methane emissions is one of the fastest ways to slow global warming, making a shift away from animal agriculture a crucial climate solution.

11) The largest emitter of nitrous oxide

Animal agriculture contributes almost two-thirds of all global nitrous oxide emissions. Nitrous oxide isn’t as well known by the public as some other greenhouse gases, but it is a remarkably destructive substance. The emissions deplete the ozone layer and have a global-warming potential 273 times that of CO₂. Nitrous oxide emitted today remains in the atmosphere for more than 100 years.

12) The largest emitter of ammonia

Agricultural activities are responsible for about 80-90% of all global ammonia emissions, most of it from livestock production. Ammonia emissions are poisonous. They pollute the air, harm lung health, and damage ecosystems by contaminating soil and water.

13) The leading cause of soil degradation

Unsustainable agricultural practices are the primary driver of global soil degradation, particularly overgrazing and deforestation (which is also largely caused by animal agriculture, as we’ve seen above). In the U.S., animal farming is directly responsible for more than 80% of all soil erosion. Experts warn that ​​95% of the Earth’s soil is on course to be degraded by 2050, posing a severe threat to food security worldwide.

And that’s far from all

Beyond the areas where animal agriculture is the world’s number one source of harm and destruction, the industry also plays a major role in global hunger, acid rain, displacement of indigenous people, and the rise in cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and chronic disease. It is also one of the industries with the harshest and most dangerous working conditions worldwide, causing high rates of lifelong injuries, addiction, anxiety issues, depression, and PTSD.

Furthermore, animal agriculture is one of the largest industrial users of freshwater. On average, a plant-based diet uses five times less water than a meat-based diet. In general, a United Nations report concludes, “The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.”

“The human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future.”

— Worldwatch Institute

But there’s good news!

The findings presented in this article are undoubtedly alarming, but they also offer hope — by highlighting a possible path to a better future. In contrast to many other challenges we’re currently facing, the enormous damages caused by the animal agriculture industry are entirely avoidable.

We don’t need animal products to be healthy. In fact, population studies show that we are healthier without. Experts say that a shift to plant-based diets would save hundreds of billions in healthcare costs and millions of lives every year. If you still have doubts about the nutritional adequacy of plant-based diets, read this.

Conclusion

Animal agriculture is not only the largest act of systematic violence in human history and an enormous public health threat, but also the primary driver of many of the world’s worst forms of environmental destruction.

These damages might be justifiable if we had no other way to nourish ourselves. But the exact opposite is true. Animal products contribute less than a fifth of global calorie supply. Plant-based foods provide 83% of calories while using a fraction of the resources and causing far less harm.

Shifting to a plant-based food system isn’t just possible — it’s necessary to sustainably feed a growing population and protect our planet. Scientists agree: avoiding meat and dairy is the “single biggest way” to reduce our impact on Earth.

Presidential elections happen every four years. But every day, we have three votes to change the food system. Use them wisely.

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