Factory Farm Proximity and Public Health

Communities near concentrated animal feeding operations face significant public health burdens.

Key Facts

Communities near CAFOs have elevated rates of respiratory disease and infant mortality
Hydrogen sulfide and ammonia from hog operations cause measurable air quality impacts
Antibiotic-resistant organisms are shed from CAFO animals and detected in surrounding communities
Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately located near CAFOs

Welfare Considerations

The public health costs of factory farming fall disproportionately on nearby communities — usually low-income and predominantly non-white communities with limited political power to resist CAFO siting. These communities bear the environmental and health costs of producing cheap food consumed elsewhere. Recognizing this environmental injustice creates natural alliances between animal welfare advocates, public health professionals, and environmental justice organizations. Factory farming reform addresses animal welfare and environmental justice simultaneously.

What You Can Do

Support environmental justice organizations opposing CAFO expansion in vulnerable communities
Advocate for CAFO setback requirements that protect residential areas
Engage with the intersection of animal welfare and environmental justice
Reduce personal consumption of factory-farmed animal products to reduce CAFO expansion pressure