Opponents believe that factory farming is responsible for many foodborne illnesses and many of our food safety risks. An estimated one out of every four [[cattle]] that enters a [[slaughterhouse]] may host toxic forms of the bacteria [[E. coli]]. A ''[[Consumer Reports]]'' study of nearly 500 supermarket chickens found [[campylobacter]] in 42 percent and [[salmonella]] in 12 percent, with up to 90 percent of the bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Eggs pose a salmonella threat to one out of every 50 people each year. In total, the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] estimates that there are 76 million instances of foodborne illness each year, and more than 5,000 deaths.
===Proponents===
Proponents, while they do not use the term ''factory farming'', say that this type of concentrated farming is a useful agricultural advance:
*'''low cost''' — Intensive agriculture is necessary to meet demand for affordable food.
*'''efficient''' — Animals in confinement can be supervised more closely than free-ranging animals, and diseased animals can be treated faster.
*'''healthy''' — Properly run factory farms meet government standards for safe food production.
Furthermore, proponents dispute the foodborne illness argument. They note the fact that E. coli grows naturally in most mammals, including humans, and that only certain strains of E. coli are potentially hazardous for humans. They note that diseases naturally occur among chickens and other animals. Properly cooking food can effectively remove risk factors by killing bacteria.
