Unethical Working Conditions: Industrial animal agriculture contributes to low wages, through indentured contracts, slave labour, child labour, and human trafficking (1).

Marginalized Communities – Cognitive Dissonance: Industrialized animal farming and meat processing plants are often located in poor communities (2). Workers at these facilities are at risk for developing a form of cognitive dissonance that may lead to criminal acts, violent behaviours, and substance abuse (3). These developments aggravate the circumstances of the poverty-stricken and make it harder to get out of poverty (4).

AG Contributes to Cycles of Poverty: There are increasing conflicts with animal agriculture industries taking away land and forest resources (5). Indigenous peoples and locals trying to escape poverty, are particularly affected by this (6). Animal agriculture is leading to “job insecurity, low wages, greater poverty, and contributes to rural abandonment” (7). The UN noting: “intensive agricultural systems are associated with negative effects on employment, wealth distribution, ancillary economic activity in rural areas [and] service provision in rural areas (such as schools and health facilities)” (9).

Wildlife Crime and Blood Sport in Impoverished Communities: Illegal wildlife trade flourishes in impoverished countries, where benefits go to criminal organizations while detriments are suffered by local inhabitants (10). Trophy hunting’s long history of misappropriated funding has contributed [heavily] to opportunity loss within native communities (11).

Download the document below to read the full list of the latest citations of evidence as to how animal exploitation undermines the progress of SDG Goal 1: No Poverty