Potential Public Health Impacts of Confined Animal Feed Operations

Potential Public Health Concerns of the Confined Animal Feeding Operations

In the United States the Environmental Protection Agency defined the animal feeding operations as an agricultural enterprise where animals are confined to feeding yards and contained while being fed before being sent to the processing plants for termination and butcher operations to provide beef for community feeding and sale. A concern for community health of these feed yards is the potential for water contamination and disease spread. The animal feed operations congregate animals, feed, manure and urine, diseased and dead animals in a small area of operation prior to testing and separation for sale to animal processing plants for the end product of beef sales. Feed is brought to the feed troughs rather than the animals being allowed to feed in natural environments such as pastures, fields or rangeland. (USDA, 2016) Such operations are regulated by the EPA under the Clean Water Act. The goal of the CAFP is for owners and operators to take voluntary actions to minimize potential air and water pollutants from their storage, confinement area, land application areas and their processes facilities.

One of the main concerns surrounding the confined area feed operations is the potential to improving and sustaining health in the rural communities they function in. There are (4) principles that embody the main points of the World Health Organization and rural community health operations: (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. These principles ensure rural health communities.

In rural and agricultural communities trends have been set and continue to be evaluated and improved with a focus on the overall health of the community instead of the profiteering conglomerates. CAFO’s were criticized for their lack of concern for the impact on the environment, health and ethical treatment of animals. The negative concerns the implications on these criticized matters. Negative impacts of the CAFO’s are centered around the community. Identifiable issues include the increased healthcare costs, property depreciation costs and pollution mitigation costs. CAFO’s generally discharge considerable amounts of water and air pollution that in past times have not been regularly or routinely monitored. There have been many reported instances where CAFO waste products have been linked to community health problems. The environmental concern is the upsetting of the balance of the ecosystem of the community areas that negatively affect the nutrients in the water and soil. Examples of this are the increased quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus that contaminates the local streams, rivers and water-wells. In order to keep the animals from getting sick, CAFO’s operators use antibiotics which also contaminate the water and soil, thus forming a negative impact on the community. Excessive amounts of animal waste contaminates other agricultural goods. E. coli has been identified prevalently in more CAFO’s rather then farms. (EOE, 2012)

The following pollutants can potentially affect the water quality located near a CAFO:

Nutrients: Includes nitrogen, ammonia, and phosphorus which can reduce oxygen in surface waters, encourage the growth of harmful algal blooms, and contaminate drinking water.

Organic Matter: Animal waste, vegetable matter, etc.

Pathogens: Include parasites, bacteria, and viruses which cause disease in humans.

Solids: Solid matter such as feed and feathers, which can limit the growth of desirable aquatic plants in surface waters and protect disease-causing microorganisms.

Pesticides & Hormones: Researchers have associated pesticides and hormones with hormone-related changes in fish.

Antibiotics: The presence of antibiotics may contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Trace elements: Includes arsenic and copper, which can contaminate surface waters and possibly harm human health.

Sediments

(CDC, 2016)

The most pressing public health issue associated with CAFO’s stems from the amount of manure produced by the animals. This manure contains a high amount of various potential contaminates. It can contain plant nutrients such as nitrogen