A wave of industrial livestock farming is transforming Europe's rural landscapes, driving pollution and regulatory failures while displacing small farms.
Sandra Laville and Helena Horton report for The Guardian.
In short:
- More than 24,000 factory farms now operate across Europe, with France, the UK, and Germany leading in poultry megafarms. The UK alone had 1,824 intensive pig and poultry farms in 2023.
- Environmental inspections in England found violations in 75% of cases, including serious air and water pollution, yet fewer than 1% of these incidents led to prosecution.
- In regions like the Severn and Wye Valleys, high concentrations of poultry waste are polluting rivers, and Norfolk has become known as the “megafarm capital of Europe.”
Key quote:
“These shocking numbers alongside the severity of the litany of offences clearly show that the huge increase to US-style factory farms since 2017 is harming our land and jeopardising our climate targets and sustainability ambitions moving forward.”
— Terry Jermy, MP for South West Norfolk
Why this matters:
The rise of intensive livestock farming brings with it serious environmental and public health risks. Factory farms produce enormous quantities of animal waste, which can overwhelm ecosystems with nitrogen and phosphorus, fueling algal blooms and choking rivers of oxygen. This type of pollution damages aquatic life and can contaminate drinking water sources. The scale of animal confinement also contributes to air quality issues, as ammonia and other emissions accumulate. On top of that, these megafarms often rely on practices that can accelerate antibiotic resistance and reduce biodiversity. As small farms disappear, rural economies and food systems become more vulnerable to corporate consolidation and environmental shocks.
Read more: Ending factory farming could mitigate climate change and pandemics
