Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Living with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

• Author: Emily A. Kolbe
• Position: J.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa College of Law, 2014; B.A., Grinnell College, 2007
• Pages: 415-443

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

Living with Concentrated Animal

Feeding Operations

Emily A. Kolbe∗

ABSTRACT: Concentrated animal fe eding operations (“CAFOs”) ar e

prevalent throughout the nation a nd represent a serious and increasi ng

problem for the United States. Propone nts of CAFOs argue that such

operations are necessary to mee t this country’s demand for low -cost, readily

available meat. Opponents point to the ever-increasing risks that CAFOs

pose to humans, animals, and the envi ronment. CAFOs in Iowa have

operated under the minimum l evel of federally required regu lations for a

number of years. The negative effect s of this lack of regulation are start ing to

take a toll on Iowans. Emergi ng public health concerns s uch as air quality

and antibiotic resistance, ind ividual health problems, animal welfa re

concerns, and the basic right to enj oy one’s property are becoming

controversial issues and demand increas ed attention from the state’s

government, courts, and citize ns. This Note argues that Io wans should look

to a variety of mechanisms to ad dress these issues, including judic ial action,

increased legislation, and gras sroots organizing efforts to ensure that Iowa

remains not only an agricult ural force in the United State s, but also a safe

and healthy environme nt for its present and future citizens.

∗ J.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa College of Law, 2014; B.A., Grin nell College,

2007. I would like to thank the edito rs of Volumes 98 and 99 of the Iowa Law Review for their

work on this Note. I would also like to thank my family for their unwavering support and

encouragement.

415

416 IOWA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 99:415

I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 417

II. AN OVERVIEW OF CAFOS IN THE UNITED STATES ................................ 418

A. AGRICULTURE AS INDUSTRY AND THE ECONOMIC RATIONALE FOR

CAFOS .......................................................................................... 418

B. FEDERAL REGULATION OF CAFOS .................................................... 419

C. STATE-LEVEL REGULATION AND INTER-STATE IMPACTS ..................... 421

D. SOCIAL COSTS ARISING FROM CAFOS ............................................... 422

1. Living Inside CAFOs: The Problem of Animal Welfare ...... 422

2. Public Health Concerns ....................................................... 425

a. Increase in Antibiotic-Resistant Ba cteria and CAFOs ........... 425

b. CAFO Workers’ Health ...................................................... 426

c. Health Effects on Nearby Residents ..................................... 427

3. The Day-to-Day Effects of CAFOs on Neighbors ................. 428

III. CAFOS IN IOWA ................................................................................... 429

A. BY THE NUMBERS ........................................................................... 430

B. THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND OVERSIGHT

OF CAFOS ...................................................................................... 431

C. THE IOWA SUPREME COURT AND CAFOS .......................................... 435

1. Lack of Local Control ........................................................... 435

2. Right to Farm: Bormann and Gacke ....................................... 436

IV. MOVING FORWARD ............................................................................... 438

A. LOOKING TO OTHER STATES’ REGULATIONS ..................................... 438

B. APPROVAL PROCESS AND CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT ............................... 440

C. COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND LOCAL CONTROL .............................. 441

V. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................... 442