Imagery Mapping Finds Iowa Has 15,309 Animal Feeding Operations
The analysis says larger operations generated 60% of the state’s estimated manure, raising concerns about nitrate pollution and water quality.
- Using satellite and aerial imagery, the Environmental Working Group mapped 15,309 animal feeding operations across Iowa, identifying thousands more facilities than state records track.
- The Iowa DNR requires reporting for facilities with 500 or more animal units, but the EWG analysis highlights that smaller, untracked operations contribute to the state's 107.6 million tons of manure produced in 2025.
- Accounting for 29% of facilities, large feeding operations with 1,000 or more animal units generate 60% of total waste, while 66% of all mapped operations raise hogs.
- Anne Schechinger, senior director of agriculture and climate research at EWG, warned it is "very, very likely" fields in high-concentration areas are being over-applied with manure, contributing to nitrate pollution in Iowa streams.
- The EWG plans to release a report on North Carolina facilities following previous analyses in Minnesota, while advocating for conservation policies like cover crops to mitigate environmental damages.
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Environmental group says Iowa has more CAFOs than reported
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Imagery mapping finds Iowa has 15,309 animal feeding operations
An analysis from Environmental Working Group mapped 15,309 animal feeding operations in Iowa, which is several thousand more than what is tracked and monitored by the state. The group utilized satellite and aerial imagery to map animal feeding operations across…
Iowa livestock boom outpaces oversight as manure pollution grows, analysis finds
The number of large, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Iowa increased 13% over the past six years, according to a new report. It's a mounting problem in a state that generates more than 100 million tons of manure annually, contributing to persistent water pollution and health problems.
Iowa has 15,309 animal feeding operations, aerial mapping finds — thousands more than the state monitors
An analysis from Environmental Working Group mapped animal feeding operations in the state of Iowa. — Lance Cheung/USDA An analysis from Environmental Working Group (EWG) mapped 15,309 animal feeding operations in Iowa, which is several thousand more than what is tracked and monitored by the state. The group utilized satellite and aerial imagery to map animal feeding operations across Iowa and estimate the amount of manure they produce. The rep…
Researchers identify thousands more Iowa livestock facilities than state database shows
Iowa’s official database of animal feeding operations, which serves as the state’s primary regulatory inventory of livestock facilities, does not include thousands of facilities that researchers say contribute to the state’s growing manure burden and potential water pollution. After spending about a year reviewing aerial photographs, satellite imagery and state records, researchers with the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an environmental ad…
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