Negative Effects of CAFOs on Rural Communites

           CAFOs were designed to benefit the economy positively.  These operations produce more livestock at a faster rate using less land and feed.  There is a flaw to every perfect plan, however. CAFOs do not only effect the environment and public health, they effect surrounding communities economic health.  Building one of these operations in a rural community causes the local farmers to struggle to compete and eventually these hard working men and women are put out of business.  The surrounding communities are having to pay more money on health care and environmental control rather then on desires.  Which in turn effects local stores in a negative way because their business is also suffering.  In these types of operations "CAFOs may generate profits for a few local investors but they do not promote rural economic development. CAFO operators do business wherever they can get the best deal, which typically is not in the local community." (Ikerd 2009)
            Larger businesses may want to do their business where the best deal is but people are becoming aware of how the food products they are consuming are being processed.  Those cheaper deals are also lacking in nutritional value.   More people are turning to free range and organic food for the safety of the products.  Also promoting local farmers and business to promote a good sense of local economic health.  The public in the types of communities surrounding CAFOs are spending money not at these large businesses because their issues of health and environment, not to mention the lack of income is hindering them from doing so but on more pressing issues.  Large scale grocery stores should turn to these types of alternatives for the safety of their costumers, the quality of the products, and for the fact that the customers might be able to purchase these goods and not have to worry about other concerns.


Ikerd, John. Impacts of CAFOs on Rural Communities, 2008, received fromhttp://web.missouri.edu/~ikerdj/papers/Indiana%20--%20CAFOs%20%20Communities.htm

Ikerd, John. The Economics of CAFOs and Sustainable Alternatives. 2009. received from http://web.missouri.edu/~ikerdj/papers/Fairfield%20IA%20-%20Economics%20of%20CAFOs.htm