Faunalytics Study Finds “Animal Factory” Provokes Stronger Public Reaction Than “Factory Farm”

The language animal advocates use to describe industrial animal agriculture shapes how the public responds to it, and a new study suggests one common phrase may be underperforming. Research from Faunalytics indicates that the term “animal factory” draws a more negative response from US adults than the far more familiar “factory farm.” The study surveyed 1,049 U.S. adults and compared three descriptions of intensive animal agriculture: “factory farm,” “animal factory,” and “industrial animal agriculture.” “Industrial animal agriculture” was the least familiar at 51% and produced more neutral impressions. “Industrial animal agriculture” is positioned as better suited to research, policy, or technical contexts than general public messaging.