ABSTRACT
The last 50 years has seen a transformation of farming practices in the developed world and this transformation is now expanding rapidly to countries with fastgrowing economies and populations like China and Brazil. Whilst it could be argued that farm animals are only required to live for a few weeks, months or years, there is surely something deeply unethical about breeding animals who are unable to live out their natural lifespan. Confinement and/or overcrowding leads to lack of exercise, often weakening bones and muscles in the process. What farming needs now is a regeneration based on strong ethical values, values of compassion for other sentient beings and of concern for the environment and for the health of consumers. This kind of farming will promote high animal welfare standards, will aim for whole-farm self-sufficiency, seek green solutions, produce animal products in possibly smaller quantities, but which will earn more per unit.
