Sustainability Language

Water, Waste & Pollution

Concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)

A US regulatory category for large-scale confined livestock operations whose waste streams pose significant water, air and climate risks.

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Definition

A concentrated animal feeding operation is a US EPA regulatory designation for an animal feeding operation — where animals are confined and fed for 45 days or more in a 12-month period on land without sustained vegetation — that meets size thresholds (for large CAFOs, e.g. 1,000 cattle, 700 dairy cows, 2,500 hogs or 30,000 laying hens) or is designated a significant pollution contributor. CAFOs are regulated under the Clean Water Act's NPDES permitting programme.

References

US EPA

AFO definition; NPDES regulation of CAFOs

Overview

What it means

The category recognises that concentrating thousands of animals concentrates manure, nutrients and emissions at pollution scale.

How it is used

CAFO permits govern manure management and discharge; the designation anchors debates on water contamination, air pollution, methane (US agriculture is the largest domestic methane source) and animal welfare.

Why it matters

CAFOs are a leading source of nutrient pollution and a major climate and community-health concern in intensive agriculture.

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