Factory Farming (02:09)

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In North Carolina, factory farming created an environmental disaster and eliminated independent family farms. One company owns 1,600 of the 2,220 factories. (Credits)

Rural Farming Communities (02:25)

Large animal factories threaten the environment and create social and economic problems. Most family farms in Canada grow cash crops or raise cows; each farm family creates four jobs in related industries.

Marsh Family Farm (03:07)

Third generation farmer Murray Marsh owns and manages the mixed grain and cattle farm near Didsbury, Alberta. He reflects on the industrialization that has allowed him to be more efficient. Owners of a nearby feedlot want to increase to 17,000 head of cattle, potentially having a dramatic impact on groundwater.

Family Farms vs. Factory Farms (02:15)

Mixed farming on a small scale is a closed cycle and poses little threat to the environment. Factory farms take advantage of environmental law exemptions to establish operations. Pig farming occurs mainly on factory farms.

Industrial Pork (02:20)

A company in North Carolina owns slaughterhouses, factories that produce three quarters of the state's hogs, and feed mills. Each pig factory in North Carolina eliminated 10 independent family farms; the factories do not need to be located in North Carolina.

Environmental Hazards (03:30)

In North Carolina, most of the pork industry is located on the eastern coastal plain; Rick Dove is an advocate for the Neuse River. See evidence of the industry's environmental impact and images inside a hog farm. Experts discuss waste management and pollution.

Hog Waste (02:14)

Nearly all rivers along the coastal plain of North Carolina are contaminated. A judge recently ruled that hog farms are not privileged to the farming exemptions in the Clean Water Act. Robert Kennedy Jr. compares waste management of factory farms and family farms.

Waste Disposal (02:33)

Dove gathers evidence for lawsuits against large corporations. The watershed along the eastern coastal plain of North Carolina is toxic, harming animals and humans.

Manure Spills (03:03)

In 1995, the walls of a cesspool burst, releasing millions of liters of manure. See footage of the impact of Hurricane Floyd. North Carolina placed a moratorium on the construction of new pig factories. Factory farming effects spread beyond U.S. borders.

Individual Rights vs. Corporate Profit (04:23)

In Western Canada, feedlots and barns house millions of animals. Marsh is caught in the struggle between factory and traditional farming; he opposes the building of a feedlot near his farm. Locals discuss negative impacts of the current feedlot.

Agribusiness Expansion (03:56)

Didsbury citizens work to stop the expansion of the feedlot. The Natural Resources Conservation Board reviews farm expansion and construction applications; it approved the application in Didsbury.

Canadian Agriculture (03:12)

Throughout Canada, governments encourage the expansion of factory farming; much of it occurs in the hog industry. Ontario Pork represents pork producers. Lawyer Valerie McGarry represents locals fighting against hog factories.

Fighting Corporate Agriculture (03:02)

McGarry meets with Tony James to view the area where a company wants to expand a sow barn and attends a community meeting. An Ontario Pork representative states that emotion is not conducive to a good conclusion and the company is following the rules.

Rural Hog Farms (03:00)

Citizens discuss the impact of the sow barn expansion at a community meeting. McGarry expresses her frustration with the Canadian government. Hog farms in rural communities accrue social, environmental, and economic costs.

Agricultural Backlash (02:53)

Factory farms become a threat to individual freedom and democracy in rural communities. Many believe factory farming is unsustainable. Marney Cuff raises pasture pigs. Learn about "Part 2: The Nature of Life."

Credits: Corporate Agriculture: Cultivating Trouble (01:05)

Credits: Corporate Agriculture: Cultivating Trouble