The grim realities of factory farms.

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Factory farms, also known as CAFOS (confined animal feeding contain half of the nation's meat, egg, and dairy animal populations, operating on a scale inconceivable to previous generations of farmers. Sanderson Farms, the fourth largest chicken producer in the United States, annually processes 397 million chickens. Circle Four Farms in Utah annually raises more than 1 million hogs for slaughter. CAFOS are characterized by the following conditions:

Confinement: Animals are strictly confined to prevent any unwanted, energy-wasting movement. Chickens are kept in "battery cages" so small (50 square inches) that they cannot turnaround or open their …