Factory farming is fuelling the next animal health crisis

But what the report doesn’t fully explore is that one of the key drivers of that risk is factory farming.

As the number and scale of intensive farms in the UK continues to grow, so does the threat of disease spreading rapidly between animals, and in some cases, from animals to people.

Mark Borthwick, World Animal Protection, UK Farming Policy Manager said:

The risks of major animal disease outbreaks are heightened with the increase of new and expanding factory farms in the UK. On these farms, animals are unnaturally cramped into small spaces, making it easier for diseases to spread.

Human and animal health are connected: the best way to reduce risks for both, is to transition to higher-welfare farming systems that provide animals with more space and an environment that closely represents their natural habitat.”

The perfect conditions for disease

Factory farms create the ideal environment for disease to take hold and spread. Thousands of animals are kept in enclosed sheds, with little space to move and no access to the outdoors. These stressful, overcrowded conditions weaken immune systems and allow viruses to mutate and multiply at speed.

It’s no coincidence that bird flu outbreaks have become more frequent and severe in recent years - nor that the UK has seen repeated flare-ups of diseases like bovine TB and swine dysentery.

When diseases break out, the impacts are devastating. It means immense animal suffering, mass culls, supply chain disruptions and economic loss.

A fragile system that puts us all at risk

The NAO report found the UK’s disease surveillance systems are underfunded and overstretched. The government is relying on contingency plans that haven’t been updated or stress-tested to match the scale of today’s risk.

And it’s not just animals who are in danger. Many animal-borne diseases (zoonoses) can jump to humans as well, especially where intensive farming, poor biosecurity, and environmental pressures combine.

COVID-19, avian flu, and swine flu all remind us of how closely human and animal health are connected. Despite this, we continue to double down on industrial farming systems that make new pandemics more likely.

There is a better way

We urgently need to reduce the number of animals farmed intensively and invest in higher-welfare, sustainable systems. That means:

• Giving animals more space and the ability to behave naturally

• Supporting farmers to transition away from industrial production

• Prioritising public health, not just production targets

Find out more about a just transition for UK farming

The NAO report confirms what we already know. The UK isn’t ready for the next major outbreak.

But we have a choice. We either keep fuelling the problem, or we start tackling the root causes.