The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality defines a Poultry CAFO as a feeding operation where at least 30,000 chickens are housed. CAFOs, or factory farms, are massive, windowless, production facilities where animals are confined in crates or stalls without access to sunshine, fresh air, or natural vegetation.
Poultry operations in North Carolina that use dry waste systems (dry litter poultry operations) are not required to obtain permits from the Division of Water Resources. However, while these operations are not required to apply for permits, they must follow general requirements as outlined in statutes and rules. Following are the first two requirements for all dry litter operations over 30,000 birds.
1. Litter shall not be stockpiled within 100 feet of perennial streams, waterbodies, or wells.
2. Stockpiled litter shall not be left uncovered for more than 15 days.
Other requirements can be read here.
Poultry waste, mixed with bedding and carcasses is stored in large piles that, when left uncovered, can easily be blown away by wind. And though this waste storage method is called "dry litter" it still contains liquid waste that can drain out of the pile and into adjacent waterways.
This discharge is entering our waterways, causing fecal bacteria contamination and loading nutrients into rivers and streams. On top of that, many of these operations were built in areas prone to flooding. This makes water unsafe to recreate in and can cause harmful algal blooms and fish kills. Communities surrounding these facilities are impacted with diminished quality of life due to overwhelming odors and health complications from air and water pollution. Check out our Water Quality for Fisheries program for more information on CAFO pollution.