A-Word-A-Day: factory farming

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Factory Farming (FAK-tuh-ree FAHR-ming) nounAn industrialized system of producing meat, eggs, and milk in large-scalefacilities where the animal is treated as a machine.[From the idea of operating a large-scale farm as an efficient factory.]Some of the characteristics of a factory farm include intensive crowdingof animals, trimming of birds' beaks, cutting pigs' tails, force-feedingof ducks, injecting artificial growth hormones, restricting mobility, etc.A factory farm is also known as a CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation)."'When you look at environmental problems in the U.S.,' says [geophysicistGidon] Eshel, 'nearly all of them have their source in food production andin particular meat production. And factory

farming is 'optimal' only aslong as degrading waterways is free."Mark Bittman; The Meat of the Matter; The Dallas Morning News; Feb 10, 2008.This newsletter is made possible in part by these sponsors:See a map of your word in the Visual Thesaurus. Wordsmith readerssave 10%. Try it free! http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?ad=aw & code=h7qFree! Extra issue of any of Champs-Elysees Audio Magazines in French, German,Italian and Spanish. Subscribe at: http://web.champs-elysees.com/wsmith7............................................................................There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare. -SunTzu, general (6th century BCE)Send your comments to (words AT wordsmith.org). To , update addresssend gift subscription, etc., visit

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