Berkeley Becomes The First US City To Ban Factory Farming

Berkeley, California, has officially become the first city in the United States to ban factory farming, following a “historic” first-of-its-kind vote.

Measure DD, a citizen-initiated ballot measure, called for a ban of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in Berkeley. CAFOs are large-scale industrial farms where animals like cows, pigs, and chickens are densely confined for meat, dairy, or egg production. CAFOs may also house animals for other industries, including entertainment or sport. CAFOs are notorious for having little regard for animal well-being, instead focusing on maximizing profits by keeping as many animals as possible.

Currently, there are no CAFOs in Berkeley. The last remaining farm, a horse racing facility named Golden Gate Fields, closed in June of this year following prolonged protests over animal deaths. The new ban will ensure that no CAFOs can be built in the city. With over half the votes counted, 60 percent of voters supported the ban. According to groups Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) and Compassionate Bay, which led the efforts to gain signatures, the ban will be put in place once the official vote is certified.

“Residents of Berkeley have just taken a historic stand for animals and the planet we all share,” said Almira Tanner, a Berkeley resident and lead organizer of DxE, in a statement. “The extreme heat, hurricanes, and flooding we’re seeing today will only get worse if we don’t act quickly to stop the biggest contributors to climate change, including animal agriculture.”

Factory farming in the USA

An aerial view of the city of Berkley — Adobe Stock No more factory farms will be built in Berkeley

CAFOs are big business in the US, and at least 99 percent of animals are factory farmed in the country. CAFOs are defined in Measure DD as “agricultural operations where animals have been, are, or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period.” In other words, animals housed in CAFOs are not allowed outside for 45 days or more in this period. To be classed as a CAFO, farms must also exceed certain size thresholds established by the US Environmental Protection Agency or pose a risk to water quality.

Factory farms are widely regarded as the cruelest forms of animal farming. On a typical CAFO, animals will have limited or no access to the outside, and many will spend most of their lives in cages. Some intensive farms hold hundreds of thousands – or even more than a million – animals at a time. CAFOs are also devastating for the environment, and affect local communities due to the water and air pollution they cause.

There are also growing concerns about the pandemic risk associated with factory farms. Bird flu, which has been described as a “ticking time bomb,” has been found in cows on a number of dairy farms throughout the US. Earlier this week, it was reported that there have been more cases among dairy workers than previously thought.

DxE has expressed hope that the Berkeley ban will inspire other cities to follow suit.