Lawmakers are now investigating toxic gas emissions from animal farming, including ammonia pollution that threatens nearby communities (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Feb. 17, 2026). For residents living near these facilities, this isn’t new–it’s daily life.

We often talk about factory farming in terms of animals or climate, but the human cost is just as real. Families are breathing contaminated air so the rest of us can consume cheap meat and dairy.

This raises an uncomfortable question: how cheap is “cheap” if others are paying with their health?

If we value clean air and public health, we must confront the true cost of industrial animal agriculture — and start supporting food systems that don’t harm communities in the process.