The National Research Council has determined that both odor emissions and ammonia emissions from livestock facilities are “major concerns.” Odor emissions decrease quality of life for many rural Iowans, including livestock producers, farm workers, and neighbors. Neighbors of swine facilities have reported greater incidents of mood disturbance, headaches, runny nose, sore throat, excessive coughing, diarrhea, and burning eyes. Ammonia emissions harm terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and contribute to the formation of fine particulate matter. Livestock facilities are the main source of both malodor emissions and ammonia emissions in Iowa.

Numerous practices are available to substantially reduce air pollutant emissions from livestock facilities. Injecting manure, cleaning livestock facilities frequently, covering manure lagoons and manure piles, siting livestock facilities where they will not cause problems for neighbors, and installing biofilters are all affordable practices that have been proven to substantially reduce odor emissions. Several of these practices also reduce ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane and other air pollutant emissions.

For more information about emissions from livestock facilities:

National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. (2003) Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations: Current Knowledge, Future Needs (The National Academies Press, Washington D.C.).

[http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10586]

For information about air pollutants emitted from animal feeding operations and the environmental and public health impacts of these air pollutants. At The National Academies Press web site, you can purchase this book, read this book for free, or download a pdf file with the executive summary.

Miller, Dale. (September 2007) “10 Steps to Manage Odor,” National Hog Farmer.

[http://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/environmental-stewardship/air-quality/10_steps_manage_odor/index.html.]

For information about affordable steps hog farmers can take to substantially reduce odor emissions.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Animal Feeding Operations Technical Workgroup. (December 15, 2004) Animal Feeding Operations Technical Workgroup Report on Air Emissions Characterization, Dispersion Modeling, and Best Management Practices.

[http://www.iowadnr.gov/air/afo/aforeport.html]

For information about practices available for reducing odor, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and dust emissions from livestock facilities.

“Environmental Health Impacts of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs),” Environmental Health Perspectives Mini-Monographs Series, 115(2): 296-320 (2007).

[http://www.ehsrc.uiowa.edu/cafo_publications.html]

For information about the impacts of air pollutant emissions from livestock facilities on the health of farm families, farm workers, and neighbors.