New Study Maps U.S. Cattle and Hog Feeding Operations — and Reveals Health Risks
The United States is home to 15,000 cattle and hog feeding operations, responsible for 70% of the nation’s cattle and 98% of its hogs. Thanks to new research from the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), we now have a clearer picture of where these operations are concentrated—and what that means for public health.
Researchers discovered that one-quarter of all hog and cattle feeding operations are clustered in just 30 counties out of more than 3,000 nationwide. These counties aren’t just livestock hubs—they also show higher levels of an air pollutant linked to respiratory and heart problems, compared to similar counties without such facilities.
The study also found that vulnerable and marginalized communities are more likely to live near these animal feeding operations (AFOs), raising environmental justice concerns.
“One of the things this study reveals is that we could focus on a limited number of counties to really address health impacts in these communities,” said Joshua Newell, senior author of the report published in Communications Earth & Environment.
The study was led by SEAS alum Sanaz Chamanara (MLA '17, PhD '22), with Benjamin Goldstein, assistant professor at SEAS, as senior author, and Dimitris Gounaridis, assistant research scientist, as co-author.
Read the full press release on Michigan News: https://news.umich.edu/counties-with-animal-feeding-operations-have-more-air-pollution-less-health-insurance-coverage/
