Lacking the natural amenities “New West" counties, some rural communities have attempted to attract land use activities that are normally seen as undesirable. One example of these undesirable industries is the hog concentrated animal feeding operation, or CAFO. While a number of studies have explored the socio-economic and environmental aspects of hog farms, few studies have focused on the planning process and evaluated its effectiveness in dealing with the threats and challenges that a CAFO poses. This qualitative study used interviews, observations, public meeting minutes, and other written sources of data to evaluate whether or not a rural, western community, Beaver County, Utah, was able to successfully plan for one of the largest hog operations in the United States. The evidence suggested that the majority of planning efforts failed in the short-term, but were more successful in the long-term. Despite any relative success, the proposal generated intense controversy in the small community. Crucial to any planning achievement was the input and guidance provided by the state environmental agency. This research highlights the need for long-range planning as well as the importance of public participation in the planning process.

Dairy grazing systems have been promoted as an environmentally friendly alternative to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). However, questions remain regarding the amount of phosphorus (P) loss from pasture-based dairies. Therefore, the goal of this study was to quantify P losses via runoff from grazing dairy systems and CAFO hay production. Four land use treatments were simulated on runoff release plots planted in two forage treatments. Land use treatments were management intensive grazing (MIG) and CAFO hay production to which manure was applied; grazing and CAFO hay production without manure application served as controls. The forage treatments were orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and broad-leafed forage (buckhorn plantain [Plantago lanceolata], red clover [Trifolium pretense], and alfalfa [Medicago sativa]). The four land use treatments and two forage treatments had four replications for a total of 32 (4 land use treatments e n2 forage treatments e n ¤ nreplications) runoff release plots. Thirty minutes of runoff was collected from each runoff release plot during six rainfall simulation series. Grab samples of runoff were collected and analyzed for dissolved reactive phosphorus, total phosphorus, and total suspended solids. Particulate P (PP) was determined indirectly by subtracting dissolved reactive P (DRP) from total P (TP). No distinction was observed between DRP concentrations from simulated MIG plots and simulated CAFO plots for the duration of the study. However, a clear divergence of TP concentrations from CAFO hay plots with manure from all other land uses was observed during simulation series 1. DRP concentrations for all land uses were fairly consistent for the duration of the study with the exception of simulation series 2. All land uses had DRP concentrations that would be considered of concern (> 1.0 ppm DRP) by the US-EPA during simulation series 4 and 5. The elevated TP concentrations and mass losses from CAFO hay plots with manure were primarily due to PP losses. Thus, it was concluded that MIG has less potential for P loss than CAFO hay production. Broad-leafed forage had significantly higher DRP, PP, and TP losses than orchardgrass on CAFO hay with manure. However, no significant difference was found between forage types on MIG plots. Thus, either forage could be planted in grazing land without a significant difference in P losses. / Master of Science

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Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) appear to be a cost-efficient means of food production, but the cost to human health and wellbeing is significant and often overlooked. More concerning still, CAFO hidden costs are often disproportionately absorbed by marginalized members of society who do not have the resources with which to fight back or to raise awareness. Therefore, we sought to gain a better understanding of how industrial animal agriculture might be disproportionately harming certain populations within the Appalachian region, in effort to bring awareness to these concerns. We narrowed our study to North Carolina, specifically, due to the large CAFO presence in the state. The terms “cafos”, "concentrated animal feeding operations", “factory farming", "industrial animal agriculture", "large-scale animal agriculture" and “North Carolina” were searched for on all EBSCO databases. Results were limited to peer reviewed academic journal materials with publication dates ranging from 2018 to 2023. Of the 22 articles that resulted, 6 were eliminated due to irrelevance to the topic at hand. The remaining materials included 11 studies, 2 law reviews, a human rights brief, a critical discourse analysis, and an article comparing CAFO regulations between states. Our review of this literature supported the fact that waste material from North Carolina hog and poultry CAFOs pollutes the air and waterways of nearby communities with hormones, antibacterial-resistant pathogens, hazardous fumes, and excess nutrients. Study findings evidenced a correlation between certain health conditions (uterine cancer, cardiovascular mortality, UTI ER visits, and gastrointestinal illness) and North Carolina CAFO exposure. The literature indicates that people living near CAFOs in North Carolina disproportionately belong to a minoritized race, are disproportionately poorer, and are less likely to have health insurance. Those who work for these CAFOs are at a further heightened risk, yet they are even less likely to have the resources or power to insist on proper protections. We found that current motoring and regulation of CAFOs in North Carolina are regarded as insufficient to protect human health and wellbeing. The review further illustrated the power that the animal agricultural industry has politically and how it routinely squashes voices of opposition. By using EBSCO’s range of databases, we were able to synthesize a bigger picture understanding of how the animal agricultural industry is creating and maintaining health and wellbeing risks that disproportionately harm marginalized communities in North Carolina. It is our hope that awareness of factory farming’s bigger picture impact will empower people to take action through use of their own unique strengths, capabilities and resources to address this environmental injustice.

A Dylos DC1100 was evaluated to: 1. Establish relationship between low-cost DC1100 and higher-cost pDR 1200; 2. Develop a method to convert DC1100 particle number into mass concentration to compare with respirable and inhalable mass references. A Dylos DC1100 was deployed in a swine CAFO, along with a pDR-1200 and filter set to collect respirable and inhalable particles. Deployment was conducted from December 2013 through February 2014 in 24 hour intervals. The pDR-1200 and respirable mass concentration was used to convert the DC1100 particle count to mass concentration. Two methods of conversion were used, physical property method (Method 1) and regression method (Method 2). Direct measurements from the DC1100 and pDR-1200 had a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.85. DC1100 particle number were converted to mass concentration using Method 1 and Method 2, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.72 and 0.73, respectively compared to pDR-1200. The slope of the best-fit line was 1.01 for Method 1 and 0.70 for Method 2. When the DC1100 daily averages were compared to respirable mass, the physical property method had an R2 of 0.64 and a slope of 1.10. Regression method had an R2 of 0.62 and a slope of 0.80. Both methods underestimated inhalable mass concentrations with slopes < 0.13. The Dylos DC1100 can be used to estimate respirable mass concentrations within a CAFO. Using expensive dust monitors to correct the number of particles into a mass concentration is needed to establish a correction factor for the DC1100. Using these methods, correction factors can be determine for many occupational environment, with the physical property method being preferred over the regression method.

Confined farm animals generate large amounts of excrement on-site. Many toxic substances emitted from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) emanate from that manure including hydrogen sulfide. There is growing concern that these pollutants, including hydrogen sulfide, may lead to adverse health effects among people living close to these operations. Iowa law mandates that separation distances be established from CAFOs to residences, public areas, and public buildings to protect human health. The primary objective of this study was to assess the adequacy of current separation distance requirements established in Iowa to protect for the Health Effects Standard (HES) and Health Effects Value (HEV) of hydrogen sulfide concentrations emanating from swine CAFOs in Iowa. Specifically, the research examined: 1) the characteristics of swine weight dense areas, 2) if current CAFO setback distance regulations in Iowa protect for the HES and HEV of hydrogen sulfide nearest the largest swine weight CAFO, and 3) if current CAFO setback distance regulations in Iowa protect for the HES and HEV of hydrogen sulfide for an area of Iowa which has the greatest swine weight density. The results suggest that the highest swine weight dense areas generally have a greater median and average swine weight per CAFO than is observed for all active swine CAFOs in Iowa. The high swine weight areas are also generally influenced greatly by a few very large swine CAFOs. Additionally, these areas tend to have a high CAFO density but are not located in the highest CAFO dense areas of Iowa. The HEV level of hydrogen sulfide is estimated to be exceeded in a total area of 423,568 m2 beyond the associated separated distance for the largest active swine CAFO alone in 2004. This indicates that the 914.4 m (3,000 ft) separation distance does not protect against the HEV of hydrogen sulfide for the largest swine CAFO in Iowa. The HES of hydrogen sulfide was not exceeded in this area. Additionally, the estimated concentrations of hydrogen sulfide in the highest swine weight dense area did not exceed the HES or HEV beyond the minimum separation distances.

Particulate matter expelled from tunnel-ventilated animal feeding operations (AFOs) is known to transport malodorous compounds. As a mitigation strategy, vegetative environmental buffers (VEBs) are often installed surrounding AFOs in order to capture particulates and induce lofting and dispersion. Many farmers are or are interested in implementing VEBs, yet research supporting their efficacy remains sparse. Currently, point measurements, often combined with models, are the primary means by which emission rates from AFOs and VEB performance has been investigated. The existing techniques lack spatial resolution and fail to assign the observed particulate reduction to capture, lofting, or dispersion. In recent years, lidar has emerged as a suitable partner to point measurements in agricultural research. Lidar is regarded for its ability to capture entire plume extents in near real time. Here, a technique is presented for estimating the capture efficiency of a VEB using lidar. An experiment was conducted in which dust was released upwind of a VEB at a known rate, and the emission rate downwind of the VEB was estimated using an elastic scanning lidar. Instantaneous lidar scans showed periodic lofting well above the VEB, but when scans were averaged over several hours, the plumes appeared Gaussian. The experiment revealed a capture efficiency ranging from 21-74β, depending on the time of day. The methodology presented herein addresses deficiencies in the existing techniques discussed above, and the results presented add to the lacking body of research documenting VEB capture efficiency.

Air quality modeling is a recent development in atmospheric science dedicated to simulating the characteristics of surface emissions within the context of a variety of meteorological conditions. In western Kentucky, there are several concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that emit a variety of gases, including sulfur dioxide (SO2). The hypothesis was that the concentration and spread of SO2 emissions from these sources would differ between wet and dry periods over the CAFO locations. In this thesis, point emissions from locations representing CAFOs in western Kentucky and the transit of SO2throughout the southeastern U.S. were simulated in multiple sensitivity experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRFChem). Simulations were performed for the convective precipitation events that occurred over western Kentucky between July 7 and July 13, 2012. The spatial coverage of SO2 emissions originating from the locations was reduced during precipitation events and expanded during dry periods. The average concentration of SO2 over the study area was also higher during the breaks between precipitation events than during times when precipitation was occurring. The highest concentrations of SO2 exceeding 1,000 pptv remained within close range of the emission locations for the majority of the simulations, except for when local surface winds were blowing at higher speeds. Most emissions from the locations remained limited to the surface and 850 mb levels.

Swine production represents approximately 40% of the world's meat production, and its wastes contain high concentrations of organic carbon, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). Anaerobic digestion is an increasingly popular technology for treating animal wastes while simultaneously generating energy. Its propagation and ability to solubilize organic N and P make adding a struvite recovery process attractive. Recovering struvite (MgNH4PO4) from anaerobically digested swine waste can address global P shortages, meet P discharge guidelines, and produce slow-release fertilizer, which can be sold for revenue. Anaerobic digesters were operated with at organic loading rates of 3.4-3.9 g volatile solids per liter per day to provide consistent effluent for struvite precipitation studies. Three research questions about struvite precipitation were addressed in this study, specifically what is the (1) required Mg:PO4 ratio, (2) effect of organic matter, and (3) effect of storage time and conditions on struvite precipitation from effluent of anaerobically digested swine manure? Mg:PO4 ratios between 1.3-1.8 were determined to be the economic optimum and precipitated 81-90% of P from synthetic wastewater with calcium phosphate minerals dominating. Under P-limited conditions, a chemical equilibrium model (Visual MINTEQ v.3.0) predicted over 99% P removal with a precipitate mixture of struvite, calcium phosphates, and magnesite. Synthetic wastewater experiments without organic matter removed approximately 85% P with a precipitate mixture of struvite, dolomite, calcite, brucite, and calcium phosphates. Real swine effluent removed more than 95% of P and had a similar mixture of precipitates as synthetic wastewater, but in different concentrations. Organic acids were suspected to prevent struvite formation. Stored anaerobically digested swine wastewater under varying conditions all suggest calcium phosphates form naturally over time. Precipitation of struvite is best carried out as soon as possible to increase the purity of struvite. Although struvite recovery was possible, the conditions for struvite precipitation must be controlled carefully to obtain highly pure struvite.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was originally recognized as a hospital acquired infection. However, it is now recognized that MRSA infections are frequently acquired in the community setting as well. As epidemiological studies and surveillance of MRSA continued over the past decade, agricultural sources of MRSA have also been recognized. Although direct person-to-person transmission of MRSA has been recognized as a major known route of transmission, a preliminary study has shown that aerosol exposures may also be an important mechanism of transmission, both occupationally to workers inside animal feeding operations and environmentally via exhaust ventilation to the outside e. In this study I aimed to 1) determine the concentration of viable MRSA inside and outside swine buildings known to be positive for MRSA, 2) determine the efficiency of the N95 respirator at protecting workers inside swine buildings, and 3) determine the efficiency of a biofilter unit at mitigating emissions of MRSA from a swine building. I hypothesize that remediation and control of airborne MRSA in animal feeding operations can be achieved by the appropriate use of N-95 respirators to protect workers and the addition of biofilters to the exhaust ventilation system to mitigate transmission of this emerging environmental contaminant to the outdoor environment. The results of the study indicate that MRSA in the respirable size range can be detected inside a swine building and 215 m downwind of the swine building. Aim 2 results indicated that the N95 respirator was efficient at protecting workers exposed to MRSA particles greater than 5 μm but not as effective with MRSA particles less than 5 μm. The results of aim 3 indicated that hardwood chips and western red cedar chips are efficient biofilter media for mitigating the emission of MRSA from a swine building. These studies showed that workers inside swine buildings and the outdoor environment can be protected against the transmission of MRSA with a respiratory program which includes the use of N95 respirators and biofilters as mitigation control measures.