US Counties with Animal Feedlots Have More Air Pollution, Less Health Insurance: Study

Study maps factory farm hotspots as federal court tosses emissions lawsuit

Roughly a quarter of the nation’s large cattle, dairy and hog farms are located in just 30 US counties, a new satellite-mapping study has found. The research also links large farms — whether in these dense hotspots or scattered elsewhere — to elevated air pollution. The study supports concerns about the environmental impacts of factory livestock farms, which drive up air pollution levels by kicking up dust and ammonia in the massive amounts of m…

US counties with animal feedlots have more air pollution, less health insurance: Study

U.S. counties with hog and cattle feeding operations may be subject to higher air pollution levels, while lacking the health insurance necessary to treat related medical problems, a new study has found.  Concentrations of an airborne contaminant linked to heart and respiratory issues were much greater near these feeding sites than in counties without them,…

Counties with animal feeding operations face higher air pollution and lower health insurance coverage, study finds

There are more than 15,000 cattle and hog feeding operations in the United States. These operations rear 70% of the country's cattle and 98% of its hogs. Now, for the first time in the nation's history, we know with certainty where most of them are, thanks to research from the University of Michigan. The report has been published in Communications Earth & Environment.

Animal Feeding Operations Linked to Higher Air Pollution and Lower Health

In a groundbreaking study published in Communications Earth & Environment, researchers from the University of Michigan have unveiled a comprehensive map pinpointing the locations and spatial footprints of over 15,000 cattle and hog feeding operations across the United States. This unprecedented dataset sheds light on the environmental and social dimensions of these vast agricultural enterprises, […]