New Documentary "Common Enemy" Reveals Devastating Environmental Impact Of Factory Farms On Small-Town America

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Mar 07, 2024, 08:58 ET

Powerful film features firsthand accounts from Oklahoma farmers, vets, environmentalists, Indigenous Peoples, among community residents

OKLAHOMA CITY, March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Humane League (THL) today releases Common Enemy, a gripping short documentary directed and written by filmmaker Adam Peditto, offering a look at the sobering consequences of factory farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFOs). As the number of American farms continues to decline and with 80 percent of domestic food production now controlled by a handful of major corporations, farmers, environmentalists, and animal welfare advocates find themselves united against one common enemy: industrialized animal agriculture.

"Common Enemy examines the vibrant yet often-overlooked rural communities suffering at the hands of corporate factory farming. This documentary isn't just an exposé of the environmental havoc caused by modern animal agriculture; it's a testament to the resilience of those living in its shadow," says Vicky Bond, veterinary scientist and president of The Humane League. "This short film brings to light issues of environmental justice, worker justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and animal welfare. By hearing the voices of those directly impacted, we confront the predatory practices of an industry that exploits both human and animal lives."

Common Enemy features firsthand accounts from Oklahoma residents pushing back against industrialized animal agriculture, including Pamela Kingfisher, a member of the Cherokee Nation and director at Green Country Guardians, former District Attorney Drew Edmondson, Dr. Lesa Staubus, DVM, Denise Deason-Toyne, president of Save the Illinois River (STIR), and Deacon Jones, a former hog farm employee.

In Oklahoma, nearly 200 million animals are raised and slaughtered each year, nearly all in factory farms. In Oklahoma alone, 570.6 million eggs are produced, the majority of which come from egg-laying hens raised in cramped cages among other birds, unable to even spread their wings. Of all pigs raised for food in Oklahoma, 95% of them live on just 33 industrial mega-farms. These sentient animals are deprived of sunlight and adequate space to perform their necessary natural behaviors.

In areas where multinational food conglomerates dominate, the environmental impacts of industrial agriculture take their biggest toll. Perhaps unsurprisingly, farmworkers and their families are the most affected from direct exposure to pesticides, as well as water and air pollution. In a single year in the US alone, factory farms produce 1.4 billion tons of manure—five times the waste of the entire US human population. Unlike human waste, farmed animal waste is collected in vast sewage lagoons that seep into and contaminate local groundwater. To keep those lagoons from overflowing, farmers are allowed to use industrial irrigation to disperse untreated waste on surrounding land—and on local residents.

Hailing from the heartland, Common Enemy captures the extensive scope of damage inflicted by corporate agribusiness giants while giving voice to the individuals bearing the brunt of these injustices: hardworking farmers, concerned citizens, and suffering animals.

To watch Common Enemy, please visit CommonEnemyFilm.com. The film was directed by Adam Peditto, produced by José Elias, edited by Angel Lugo, alongside videographer/animator Mark Middleton, who is also a board member of The Humane League.

Take action to fix our broken food system at FastActionNetwork.com. Join consumers around the world in influencing the world's largest food companies to implement higher animal welfare policies like cage-free. Encourage companies like Dunkin', Sonic, and Hilton Hotels & Resorts to report globally on their progress towards sourcing 100% cage-free eggs. With growing consumer demand, increasing state legislation, and hundreds of corporate commitments for cage-free eggs, nearly 40% of egg-laying hens in the US flock are now free of cages. For more information about the Humane League, please visit TheHumaneLeague.org.

About The Humane League
The Humane League is a global animal protection nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food. Since its founding in 2005, The Humane League has focused on effectively ending the worst abuses in factory farming, securing strong animal welfare commitments from major foodservice providers, restaurants, food manufacturers, and hospitality leaders around the world, changing the lives of billions of farm animals suffering every day. In 2015, The Humane League established the Open Wing Alliance, a global coalition against cages, which has now grown to include 100 organizations in 72 countries spanning six continents.

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SOURCE The Humane League