Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs emerged with the rise in industrial agriculture and urban areas. They have replaced the small, local and family farms that once provided food for communities. CAFOs are often located in low-income, rural communities, disproportionately affecting communities of color and marginalized populations. These communities often lack the political power to influence zoning, permitting and other environmental policy decisions. Therefore, these communities must endure contaminated groundwater supplies, toxic air pollution, particulate matter and degraded land. Unfortunately the pollution produced by them spreads to other areas. In this session we will explore how CAFOs and industrial farming has affected communities and some solutions to mitigate the environmental harms caused by them.
