Samuel Weldin
May 2, 2011
Factory Farm Debate Outline: Leader of the Opposition
[Ready] Introduction: Our great country, The United States of America, is one of the wealthiest and most innovative countries in the world. We apply our large span of knowledge and succeed in many areas. Food is America; it is an area where many other countries envy us. They wish to emulate us in our ways of food prosperity. In order to do that though, they must be able to farm meats and animal products on a large scale like we do with our “factory farms”. I say is like that because “factory farm” is a term used by the opposition in order to bring negative connotation upon the concept. I think the correct terminology to be used is “Highly Efficient, Large scale farms”. These large scale farms are an enormous source of food, and frankly, they allow our country to function and be as great as it is.
[AIM:]
My purpose today is to refute what my opponent has spoken about, as well as give two points as to why Large Scale Farms should be accepted. These two reasons are: They are efficient beyond any other alternative and they provide meat and animal products at a low enough price so all incomes are able to afford to buy them.
Transition: We as the opposition believe that Large Scale Farms should be supported because of the efficiency and productivity they supply as well as their positive effect on a society with all ranges of income.
[FIRE:]
Large Scale Farms are the most efficient and cost effective way to mass produce meat and animal products.
A select group of people such as PETA, The ASPCA, and my opposition say that in this system of factory farming, we treat the animals like commodities. News Flash! THEY ARE! The definition given by Webster Dictionary is: a primary agricultural product that can be bought or sold. Animals are a product of agriculture; they can be bought and sold. Bingo.
Large Scale Farms are efficient beyond reason. A scenario to think about. 9 Billion Land animals are killed for human consumption every year in the United States alone. The opposition that argues each of them should be humanely treated and given enough space to roam does not comprehend the magnitude that we are talking about here. A single hen building holds approximately 100,000 hens. Of which they are stacked upon one another in cages. How many square miles of land would be needed to “humanely” raise all 100,000 of them? Now multiply that number by 3,000 because there are 300 million egg laying hens in our country. We have as many hens as we do people. What the opposition is lobbying is just not feasible. The efficiency of Large Scale Farms is unparalleled; it is a fact that cannot be denied.
Large Scale Farms are a successful part of America’s society and economy.
Just to list a few economically positive factors about large scale farms are: more cost effective, less labor required per unit, more consistent product, and better able to manage risks involved in such farming.
Large scale farms are a boost in today’s down economy. As Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff states, "Research estimates that the annual economic impact per cow is US$13,737. In addition, each US$1 million increase in Pennsylvania milk sales creates 23 new jobs. This tells us that dairy farms are good for the state's economy."
With the growth of large scale farms. Farmers have been able to consolidate into one mass production and, thus, sell their land to be used for other purposes that can further an area’s economic prosperity.
Another scenario to contemplate. You can go to McDonalds and order a burger from one dollar to five dollars. Say America outlawed large scale farms and all of our beef was hand grown by good ole farmer Joe. You would go into McDonalds and order what should be a one dollar burger for 7 or 8 dollars and that 5 dollar burger would now be 15. Now this is McDonalds, probably one of easiest and cheapest places to grab a bite to eat. Think if the inflation of meat and animal products in grocery stores. Life without large scale farms cannot happen. It would make it so that only high income citizens could afford to eat animal products. I understand that there are health risks that go along with overconsumption of animal products so before you bring that point up, I implore you the consequences for a diet lacking in animal products and high in carbohydrates is much worse. It leads to anemia, weak bone and muscle tissue, skin diseases, ulcers, osteoporosis, as well as a lowered immune system. Also, for woman who is already at risk of iron deficiency, it is guaranteed you will face an iron deficiency with the lack of meat in your diet.
Meat is an ample part of society and has many benefits that outweigh the negatives.
I am now going to take some time to address and refute the opposition’s arguments. Both of which are invalid.
Their first point is-
It is wrong because-
Their second point is-
That is wrong because-
Conclusion: Large scale farms are superior to any other alternative, in cost, efficiency, as well as societal and economical benefits. The overall demand of meat and animal products is expected to triple or even quadruple in the next 30 years according to market analysts. The absence of the large scale farming presence would truly lead to national downfall. Because of all these monumental benefits as well as the drastic negative effects that would happen to our country without them I urge to side with us (being the opposition) and embrace large scale farms.
Factory Farms are America, and America IS factory farms.
