A report by Compassion in World Farming has revealed that factory farming is the world's biggest cause of food waste, with 766 million tonnes of grain being fed to farmed animals each year. This wasteful practice results in a highly inefficient use of resources, with only 3-25 calories of meat being produced for every 100 calories of human-edible grain fed to animals. If grain were not used to feed factory-farmed animals, it is estimated that an additional two billion people could be fed each year.

Compassion in World Farming is urging national governments to prioritize the production of food for people over animal feed and to adopt policies that support regenerative farming to improve global food security. The organization warns that if current practices continue, double the amount of grain currently used will be required to feed factory-farmed animals by 2040. It is argued that ending the wasteful practice of feeding grain to animals is crucial in addressing both food insecurity and environmental issues caused by the livestock industry.