Confined Animal Feeding Operations and Environmental Justice: the Impacts of Factory Farming

An estimated 99% of farmed animals in the United States are raised on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). CAFOs house large numbers of animals in poor conditions and produce pollution and waste that escape into the surrounding environment. These emissions reach neighboring communities, decreasing quality of life and impacting the health of community members. CAFOs are disproportionately placed in communities of color and are poorly regulated by both the state and federal government. This talk will discuss both the impacts of CAFOs on communities through an environmental justice lens and current efforts to prevent these harms.