The theme for 2014's World Food Day was family farms. Ironic, as the fallacious view that the only way we can feed the world's growing population is by making our agriculture more industrial, is gaining ground. This is thanks in no small part to the efforts put in by companies who stand to make lots of money by selling chemical herbicides, pesticides and growth hormones that will in the long term destroy the planet's ability to grow food, as well as poisoning consumers.

Family farms should be supported because they are normally at the opposite end of the spectrum from factory farms, and nowhere is this more evident than in producing pork.

Factory farms are almost always intensive. This means the pigs are crammed in as little space as possible. Pigs are naturally social and energetic animals, and in a natural environment walk around for several miles in a day foraging, exploring and engaging with other pigs.

So, in a factory farm with no space they get stressed and quickly get ill. To prevent or cure their illnesses they are given antibiotics. Bacteria become immune to antibiotics so stronger antibiotics are used. This gets in the food chain, as does the growth hormones they are given. Part of the cause of antibiotic resistant bacteria comes from their intensive use in factory farming, and this is now having serious consequences for human health.

Lots of pigs in a confined area produce very unhealthy effluent which, despite the claims of the factory farming industry, pollute the air, land and water close (and not so close) to the factory farms.

So, regardless of your feelings for the welfare of pigs, think about the damage factory reared pork does to our health and that of the planet. Family farms are more likely to be the ones you see when driving around the countryside where the pigs have lots of outdoor space and sizable pens in which to sleep, rest and give birth. It may sound silly, but the pigs are happier and healthier. And what's not silly is that the pork tastes far better than factory produced meat. Ok, a bit more expensive, but isn't it worth it?

I understand a lot about the evils of factory farming and virtues of high welfare farms due to my friendship with Tracy Worcester who has campaigned against factory farming for years. Visit her website, to find out more, and sign the pig pledge to show your support.