Curbing Pollution from Hog and Poultry Factories

The explosive growth in hog and poultry production over the last decade has wrought one of the greatest environmental crises in the South, posing tremendous risks to public health and ruining the quality of life in many communities. These 'factory farms' are intensive, industrial operations (also known as confined animal feeding operations, or CAFOs) that produce tons of untreated waste that overwhelm the environment and neighboring communities. Yet the agriculture industry was largely unregulated, and pollution control measures were lax, often non-existent.

SELC has worked with citizens and groups to rein in these industries and bring factory farms in the South under strong environmental and public health controls. We helped to secure a moratorium on new and expanded hog factories in North Carolina - the hardest hit state in our region - and to force the pork companies to agree to dramatically improve the technologies to manage and control hog waste. We also helped get strong hog-waste rules passed in South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, as well as improved poultry laws in several of our states as well.

SELC has also played a key role in a coalition of national groups to get federal agencies to strengthen environmental controls nationwide, to ensure that all states are at a level playing field. With a decade of experience on the issue, we continue to stay vigilant at both the state and national levels.

• Defending and strengthening federal controls
• North Carolina hogs