20 Years of Environmental Injustice and the Mississippi Hog Industry: Spatial and Statistical Analyses for Low-Wealth Communities and Communities of Color

Abstract

Background: The industrialization and consolidation of the animal agriculture industry has led to the rise of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). CAFOs and their runoff have been linked to deleterious effects on environmental and human health. A previous study demonstrated that hog CAFOs were disproportionately sited within or near low-wealth communities and communities of color, raising environmental justice concerns. This study aimed at replicated prior methods to assess whether environmental injustices that were identified nearly 20 years ago have been adequately addressed through policy and/or other mechanisms. Methods: CAFO data, including facility size and manure generation, were taken from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Buffer analysis was conducted using CAFO data and block-group sociodemographic data from the 2018 5-year American Community Survey to measure CAFO proximity to communities of concern (low-wealth, communities of color). Statistical analyses (quintile analysis, prevalence ratios, negative binomial regression, spearman correlation assessments) were utilized to measure the correlation between CAFO presence and sociodemographics. Results: The CAFOs in Mississippi were located in block groups that have an average or greater African American population compared with the state. The highest number of hog CAFOs were within block groups with 15.9%–36.9% of people below the poverty line. Conclusion: Race and socioeconomic status could be factors in determining the likelihood of living near a hog CAFO in Mississippi, yet these analyses did not demonstrate a positive correlation between race, socioeconomic status, and the presence of CAFOs. Considering the potential harm that hog CAFOs pose to low-wealth populations and communities of color, policy recommendations include a moratorium on expansion; phasing out the largest CAFOs in the state; and stricter enforcement of environmental protections with regards to animal agriculture.