Agriculture: Animal Production
- Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program (NPDES) for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
- Federal CAFO inspection information/biosecurity
- State animal feeding operation programs
- Aquaculture
- Clean Air Act and animal feeding operations
- Pasture, rangeland and grazing information
- Related information from EPA
- Related information from USDA
Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)
Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) are agricultural operations where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. AFOs generally congregate animals, feed, manure, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area. Feed is brought to the animals rather than the animals grazing or otherwise seeking feed in pastures. Animal waste and wastewater can enter water bodies from spills or breaks of waste storage structures (due to accidents or excessive rain), and non-agricultural application of manure to crop land.
- Animals have been, are, or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period, and
- Crops, vegetation, forage growth, or post-harvest residues are not sustained in the normal growing season over any portion of the lot or facility.
AFOs that meet the regulatory definition of a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) may be regulated under the NPDES permitting program. The NPDES program regulates the discharge of pollutants from point sources to waters of the United States. CAFOs are point sources, as defined by the CWA [Section 502(14)]. To be considered a CAFO, a facility must first be defined as an AFO.
- Regulatory Information on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
- Enforcement Initiative: Preventing Animal Waste from Contaminating Surface and Ground Water
- Information on Waters of the U.S./Clean Water Rule
Federal CAFO inspection information/biosecurity
- CAFO Inspections - EPA has put together a series of answers to commonly asked questions to help livestock and poultry operation owners and operators understand what to expect from EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) inspections.
- EPA's Routine Biosecurity Procedures for EPA Personnel Visiting Farms, Ranches, Slaughterhouses and Other Facilities with Livestock and Poultry
State animal feeding operation programs
Aquaculture
Clean Air Act and animal feeding operations
- Reporting Requirements for Air Emissions from Animal Waste Management Systems
- Regulatory information
Pasture, rangeland, and grazing information
Information about environmental issues specifically relating to the livestock production in pastures, rangeland, and other grazing operations.,
- Information from EPA on pastures, rangelands, and grazing
Related information from EPA
- Environmental Stewardship Brochures:
- Dairies and Environmental Stewardship (PDF) (6 pp, 6.7 K, About PDF)
- Swine Production and Environmental Stewardship (PDF) (6 pp, 6.8 K, About PDF)
- Poultry Production and Environmental Stewardship (PDF) (6 pp, 6.6 K, About PDF)
- Beef Cattle and Environmental Stewardship (PDF) (6 pp, 7 K, About PDF)
- Nutrient Pollution and Agriculture - Animal manure, excess fertilizer applied to crops and fields, and soil erosion make agriculture one of the largest sources of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the country.
- Estimated Animal Agriculture Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Manure - Animal agriculture manure is a primary source of nitrogen and phosphorus to surface and groundwater. Manure runoff from cropland and pastures or discharging animal feeding operations and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) often reaches surface and groundwater systems through surface runoff or infiltration.
Related information from USDA
- USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning (CNMP)
- eXtension Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center (LPELC) The LPELC is a network made up of professionals from across the U.S. (and Canada) with an interest and expertise in some aspect of animal agriculture and environmental stewardship.