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Published on ConservativeHome, this article by Chris Platt, Co-Founder of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, explores how Britain’s post-war drive for food security gave rise to today’s factory farming system — and why reform is now essential. What began as a national mission to feed the country has evolved into a model dominated by global agribusiness, with devastating consequences for animal welfare, farmers, and the environment. Chris argues for a modern Conservative vision for farming: one that restores resilience, rewards higher welfare, and strengthens Britain’s true food security for the decades ahead.

The CAWF report challenges the narrative that factory farming bolsters UK food security, revealing instead how it undermines it—costing taxpayers millions, threatening farmers’ livelihoods, and increasing our reliance on imports.

At a time when small farms face immense pressure and mounting challenges, our report highlights how factory farms pose a further threat to their survival. Over the past decade, small family farms in the UK have been increasingly replaced by fewer, larger facilities housing tens of thousands of animals in intensive conditions – commonly referred to as factory farms. While these industrial facilities claim to deliver cheap meat and improved food security, the reality is far more complex.