Higher Cancer Rates in Counties With More CAFOs, Study Finds

People living near concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, in California, Texas and Iowa suffer from higher rates of cancer, suggesting that the air and water pollution from the massive farms may be playing a role, according to a new study.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, comes just weeks after a years-long report in Iowa found the state’s agricultural chemicals and CAFO pollution are, in part, behind its rising cancer rate.

In the new study, Yale University researchers examined the rates of all cancers over the past 20 years in Texas, California and Iowa counties along with the density of CAFOs in the counties. High exposure counties were defined as those in the top 25% of CAFO density for their state. The researchers found rates for all types of cancers were 4% higher in highly exposed California counties, and 8% higher in highly exposed Iowa and Texas counties when compared to counties with lower CAFO density.