Michael Matthews

Mr. Munoz
Dual Credit English, Per. 5
11 November 2014
Annotated Bibliography
Dimitri, Carolyn, and Carolyn Dimitri. The 20th Century Transformation of U.S. Agriculture and
Farm Policy. Washington, D.C.: USDA, Economic Research Service, 2005. Web.
This document discusses how the United States agriculture system and the policy for farming
have changed over time. It has grown immensely over the last century. The main topic of the
document answers the question, Has or has not the farm policy kept pace with the continuing
transformation of American Agriculture? That question alone led to other questions, such as
What are the effects on farms and the U.S. economy?" To answer those questions, researchers
collected old data on a range of farm structures and looked at the expansions in farm policy.
Farmers who stay in agriculture adjusted to the changes made over the last century. They
adjusted by expanding and specializing their operations to take advantage of economies of
scale.
This document is extremely helpful to my research paper because it assists me in answering my
question, What are the ethical and environmental implications of factory farms in the United
States? From the document I gained more knowledge about agriculture from the past, as well as
the present. Additionally it gave me insight on farming laws such as the Agricultural Adjustment
Act. I discovered that because of this law, agricultural production was reduced. Farmers had to
adjust and find a way to increase the value of animals. A fact I learned that shocked me is that
less than two percent of the labor workforce is employed in agriculture.
"Acid Rain and Its Ecological Consequences." National Center for Biotechnology Information.
U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
Based on information from this article, one of the main problems farmers face is acid rain. Acid
rain is one of the most serious environmental problems of transboundary nature. The acid that
is released from the rain increases the acidity in the soil. The acidity in the soil causes the
nutrients in the soil to disappear, thus having a negative effect on the growth and productivity of
trees and crops.
This article does not talk about factory farming. However, I still find it to be very useful.
It has given me a keen understanding of the challenges and difficulties farmers face. Acid rain
harms trees and plants by weakening their leaves and depriving them of certain nutrients. Not
only does acid rain affect plants, but animals as well. Delving more into the article I discovered
that several animals have died from acid rain. These facts are important elements to my argument
and allow me to understand why farmers turn to factory farming.
Hopkins, John. Industrial Food Animal Production in America: Examining the Impact of the
Pew Commission's Priority Recommendations. N.p.: n.p., 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.

According to this research, 9.8 billion food animals are slaughtered and raised in the United
States. They are mostly used for domestic consumption, but also used for the export maker. In
the 1950s, food animal production systems were extensive systems with more than one species
being raised on a farm. Presently, it has been specialized into an intensive system with mass
amounts of animals all being the same species. Those species of animals are raised in restricted
spaces that resemble low-rise industrial buildings more than traditional barns. This intensive
system has led to economic efficiency. It has also caused major issues involving animal
welfare.
The information stated in the document is tremendously helpful. I will be able to use a
substantial amount of information for my research paper. It adds detail and evidence to my
argument and brings forth the issues of factory farming. The information presented opened my
eyes and made me aware of how many animals are being consumed annually in the United
States. What blew my mind was the fact that since the 1960s, milk production has doubled,
meat production has tripled, and egg production has quadrupled. That will be essential to my
paper because factory farming has led to these effects.
Issues, Public Health. Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production. National
Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production. Public Health Issues, 2006. Web. 29
Oct. 2014.
This website identifies the key aspects of the farm animal industry. The issue about this article
discusses the concerns of the commission on industrial farm animal production. They evaluate
the effects of concentrated livestock, dairy, and poultry production systems on the environment.
The article addresses the challenges facing rural communities amid the rapidly changing world
of animal agriculture. Also, they evaluate best animal farming practices in concentrated animal
feeding operations.
I found this entire website to be useful and informative. The amount of information presented
was never ending. I am quite positive that I could use every ounce of information on the website
to my advantage. There are so many different articles on the website, and each one seemed
helpful in answering my main question.