Community Health and Socioeconomic Issues Surrounding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Abstract

A consensus of the Workgroup on Community and Socioeconomic Issues was that improving and sustaining healthy rural communities depends on integrating socioeconomic development and environmental protection. The workgroup agreed that the World Health Organization’s definition of health, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,” applies to rural communities. These principles are embodied in the following main points agreed upon by this workgroup. Healthy rural communities ensure a) the physical and mental health of individuals, b) financial security for individuals and the greater community, c) social well-being, d ) social and environmental justice, and e) political equity and access. This workgroup evaluated impacts of the proliferation of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on sustaining the health of rural communities. Recommended policy changes include a more stringent process for issuing permits for CAFOs, considering bonding for manure storage basins, limiting animal density per watershed, enhancing local control, and mandating environmental impact statements.

Odor mitigation with tree buffers: Swine production case study

“…Swine production in particular is a primary source of citizen complaints (Huang and Miller, 2006) and odor nuisance lawsuits in this region have recently reached an alltime high (Heber and Bogan, 2006). Odors from swine production facilities have been linked to lower quality of life (Thu et al, 1997;Wing et al, 2008), loss of property values in surrounding communities (Palmquist et al, 1997) as well as concern that odors can have far reaching negative impact on the overall mental and social wellbeing of rural communities (Donham et al, 2007). All in all, it has been said that the future of the swine industry will be shaped by its collective ability to improve environmental impact technologies specifically those that effectively mitigate odors (Honeyman, 1996; ଝ Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and use of the name by the USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.…”

Pork, Place, and Planning

“…They also strongly endorsed phasing out the use of antimicrobial agents as growth promotants in the U. S. And they identified the need to establish national surveillance programs to track the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant organisms from livestock to humans. Poroi 8,1 (April 2012) Another article in the series (Donham et al, 2007) summarized the findings of the workshop focusing on community health and socioeconomic issues surrounding CAFOs, especially the impacts of industrialization of livestock production on rural communities in terms of economics, social capital, and quality of life. They recommended that comprehensive studies of community health be undertaken.…”

The Public Health Impacts of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations on Local Communities

“…More than 70 articles have documented adverse health outcomes in workers at pig CAFOs. 41 These studies note that at least 25% of the workers report respiratory problems, including asthma, bronchitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and, in some cases, organic dust toxic syndrome. 25,41 Exposure to endotoxin, a family of gram-negative bacteria membrane lipopolysaccharide fragments, is often implicated in adverse respiratory effects, particularly among workers in caged hen facilities.…”

“…41 These studies note that at least 25% of the workers report respiratory problems, including asthma, bronchitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and, in some cases, organic dust toxic syndrome. 25,41 Exposure to endotoxin, a family of gram-negative bacteria membrane lipopolysaccharide fragments, is often implicated in adverse respiratory effects, particularly among workers in caged hen facilities. 42 Studies also indicate that 6 or more years of exposure at these facilities put workers at risk for chronic health problems.…”