What Is Deforestation—and How Is Factory Farming Fueling It?

When you hear the word “deforestation,” maybe you picture bulldozers knocking over trees, or smoke billowing from what once was a dense, thriving forest. But what is deforestation really—and why should we care? Because it’s not just about trees. It’s about animals, people, the climate, and the unjust food system that’s fueling it all. And spoiler alert: factory farming plays a huge role.

Let’s dig into some deforestation facts, explore how it’s connected to what’s on our plates, and talk about what we can do to stop the damage—before it’s too late.

What Is Deforestation? (And Why It’s More Than Just Chopping Trees)

Here’s your simple deforestation definition: Deforestation is the large-scale clearing of forests, typically for agriculture, logging, or development. Forests are cut down or burned, and in their place, we get monoculture crops, pastureland, or barren soil.

But forests are more than a collection of trees. They’re home to 80 percent of Earth’s land animals and plants. They’re natural carbon sinks, absorbing CO₂ and helping regulate our planet’s temperature. They prevent soil erosion, protect freshwater sources, and even reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases.

When we lose forests, we lose all of that. And factory farming is currently one of the biggest drivers behind that loss.

How Factory Farming Fuels Deforestation

Let’s be real: animal agriculture is hungry—land hungry. Over 70 percent of global deforestation is linked to agriculture, and a big chunk of that comes from raising animals for meat, dairy, and eggs.

But it’s not just the animals taking up space. It’s the crops grown to feed them. Soy production, for example, is a major driver of deforestation in South America. And guess what? Around 77% of all soy is fed to animals in factory farms—not people.

That means we’re bulldozing forests to grow soy, so we can feed cheap calories to billions of animals in confined spaces, just to fuel global demand for cheap meat. The system is inefficient, unsustainable, and devastating for the planet.

Amazon Deforestation: The Crisis in the World’s Lungs

The Amazon Rainforest, often called the “lungs of the Earth,” is being choked by deforestation. Over the past few decades, millions of hectares have been lost—primarily for cattle ranching and soy plantations.

Brazil, home to the majority of the Amazon, is the world’s largest beef exporter thanks in large part to JBS. And most of the cows raised for beef spend their lives on land that used to be a thriving rainforest.

This isn’t just a local issue. The deforestation effects ripple across the globe. The Amazon helps regulate rainfall across South America, stores enormous amounts of carbon, and supports more species than any other terrestrial ecosystem on Earth.

When the Amazon burns or is bulldozed for more pastureland, it’s a loss we all feel.

Deforestation Effects on Wildlife: A Crisis for Animals Like Jaguars

Deforestation doesn’t just uproot trees—it displaces and kills wildlife. Iconic species like jaguars lose their homes, food sources, and safe spaces to roam. As their habitat shrinks, their risk of conflict with humans rises. They’re more likely to be hunted, hit by vehicles, or killed to protect farmed animals.

Other animals—sloths, toucans, howler monkeys, even entire insect populations—are impacted too. And because everything in nature is connected, disrupting one species can unravel entire ecosystems.

These animals aren’t just part of the forest. They are the forest. And factory farming is making their homes disappear.

Deforestation Fuels Wildfires—and Climate Chaos

Another terrifying outcome of deforestation? Wildfires. Clearing land often involves setting fires to “prepare” it for agriculture. But those fires can easily spread, especially in a warming world.

In 2019, fires in the Amazon grabbed global headlines, but they’re not a one-time event. Every dry season, fires rage—many intentionally set to expand farmland. These fires release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, worsen air quality for nearby communities, and push us further into climate crisis territory.

Forests should be our defense against climate change. Instead, we’re turning them into fuel for it.

Deforestation and Global Health: The Zoonotic Disease Connection

Deforestation doesn’t just harm wild animals and fuel climate change—it also puts our global health at serious risk. When forests are cleared, wild animals lose their natural habitats and are forced into closer contact with people and farmed animals. That’s the perfect storm for zoonotic diseases—infections that jump from animals to humans—to emerge and spread.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), over 60% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin, including COVID-19, Ebola, and SARS. And land-use changes like deforestation are one of the primary drivers.

Think of it this way: forests act as a natural buffer between humans and wildlife. When we destroy those buffers to raise animals for meat or grow feed crops like soy, we increase the chances of dangerous viruses making their way into human populations.

This is yet another way the effects of deforestation go far beyond the forest itself. Factory farming doesn’t just harm animals—it poses a direct threat to public health by amplifying the risk of pandemics.

The Bottom Line: We Can’t Protect the Planet Without Addressing Factory Farming

The deforestation definition may seem simple, but its causes—and consequences—are anything but. If we want a future where jaguars still roam the Amazon, where forests thrive, and where we have a fighting chance against climate change, we must rethink our food system.

That starts by shifting away from factory farming and toward more sustainable, plant-based diets. Supporting plant-based food systems reduces the demand for land, water, and feed crops. It protects forests, animals, and people alike.

We all have a role to play. Let’s stop tearing down forests for short-term gains and start investing in a future that works for every species—human and non-human alike.

Ready to help end factory farming and protect forests? Start with your plate. Choose plant-based, support sustainable food policies, and spread the word.

Need a bit of support? Join World Animal Protection US’s FREE Plant-Powered Changemakers community for tips, tricks, and vegan recipes!