What defines Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)?

The definition of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs, is primarily based on the confinement of animals and the duration for which they are kept in that environment. Specifically, CAFOs are operations where animals are housed for a significant portion of the year—45 days or more—under conditions that restrict their movement, primarily for the purpose of feeding them and producing livestock products. This model raises important concerns related to nutrient management, waste disposal, and environmental impact due to the high density of animals in a concentrated area.

In contrast, facilities where animals are solely raised for milk production do not inherently meet the CAFO criteria unless other conditions regarding confinement and feeding are fulfilled. Large grasslands utilized for free-range grazing do not qualify as CAFOs since the animals are not confined, thus allowing them to roam freely, which mitigates some environmental issues associated with nutrient management. Similarly, hatcheries for breeding poultry focus on the reproduction of birds rather than the feeding and growing of mature livestock under confined conditions, making them non-CAFO entities. Therefore, the key characteristic that defines CAFOs is the prolonged confinement and feeding of animals, leading to a high concentration of livestock and associated nutrient management challenges.