Watch Death on a Factory Farm

Death on a Factory Farm is a documentary that takes a hard look at the way that food is produced and the conditions in which animals are held by large-scale farming operations. Filmed in Ohio over the course of several months, the movie follows the efforts of animal welfare officials and investigators as they work to hold a local hog farm accountable for abuses and neglect that they uncovered during an investigation.

The central figure in the movie is Pete, a farmer who is also an animal rights activist. Pete is convinced that the factory farm in Ohio is abusing and mistreating its animals, and he launches a one-man crusade to expose the truth. He is joined by investigators and activists from several organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States.

As the movie begins, Pete and some of his fellow activists go undercover at the farm, posing as workers. They capture footage of the animals being mishandled, living in cramped and filthy conditions, and suffering from neglect and abuse. The footage is disturbing, and it sets the tone for the rest of the movie.

The investigators go over the footage in detail, trying to identify any instances of cruelty that they can prove in court. They also interview former workers from the farm, who describe similar conditions and instances of abuse. The footage and testimony that they gather is presented to officials, who begin the process of prosecuting the farm for animal cruelty.

The movie also focuses on some of the legal and ethical issues surrounding factory farming. Experts weigh in on the debate over whether animals, especially those that are raised for food, have any inherent rights. Some of the investigators and activists believe that they do, and that the abuses documented at the Ohio farm are a clear violation of those rights. Others argue that animals are a commodity, and that they have no right to anything beyond basic care and treatment.

Another issue that the movie explores is the role of the media in shaping public opinion. News outlets in Ohio and around the country picked up the story of the abusive farm, and it quickly became a national news item. The farm's owners and their lawyers fought back, attempting to dispute the footage and portray the investigators as radicals or extremists. Meanwhile, activists and supporters of animal rights used the story as an opportunity to call for reforms in the way that factory farming is regulated and enforced.

Throughout the movie, we also see the toll that the investigation takes on Pete and the other activists. They become more and more invested in the case, and they are frequently frustrated by the slow pace of legal action. They also face threats and intimidation, both from the farm's owners and from pro-factory farming groups. At times, it seems like their efforts might be in vain, but they remain resolute in their conviction that the animals at the Ohio farm deserve justice and protection.

Death on a Factory Farm is a powerful and thought-provoking movie that will make you think twice about where your food comes from. It does not shy away from the brutality and inhumanity of industrial animal farming, and it also provides a compelling case for the need to reform this system. Whether you are a committed animal rights activist or someone who has never given much thought to the issue before, this movie is well worth watching.

Death on a Factory Farm is a 2009 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 28 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7.