Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)

CAFO laws and regulations are designed to minimize risks and are important for the long-term protection of the environment. Laws and regulations are also important to preserve and maintain a strong and profitable agricultural industry for generations to come. Missouri's regulations are outlined in Code of State Regulations, 10 CSR 20-6.300 and 10 CSR 20-8.300, while federal regulations are outlined in Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 122 and 40 CFR Part 412. At the state level, water quality is protected through the department’s permit application and approval process.

Which operations need a permit?

Whether an operation is required to obtain a permit is determined by its "class size", which is based on the total number of animal units confined at the operation. Class IC (1,000 animal units), Class IB (3,000 animal units) and Class IA (7,000 animal units) are required by state regulation to obtain a wastewater permit. Class II operations (less than 1,000 animal units) are only an animal feeding operation, and therefore not required to have a permit, although many voluntarily obtain one anyway. The department can require a Class II operation to obtain a permit when an unauthorized discharge has occurred or when a discharge results in a violation of water quality standards.

What permits are required?

Wastewater construction and operating permits typically list very specific and stringent requirements to follow. CAFOs are expected to keep detailed records of farm-related activities and submit them to the department for review each year. In addition, the department developed stringent state technical standards related to the handling and land application of animal manure that CAFOs must follow. Master General Permits MO-G010000 and MO-GS10000 pertain to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. 

• Master General Permit MO-G010000 - Process wastes are collected and reused as fertilizer by spreading onto agricultural fields at agricultural rates. There is no-discharge except during storms exceeding the design storm event.
• Master General Permit MO-GS10000 - Process wastes are collected and managed as fertilizer by spreading onto agricultural fields at agricultural rates according to this permit.

Senate Bill 391, which was signed May 31, 2019, modified state provisions related to agricultural operations. Some of these changes affect regulated CAFOs.

1. No construction on a new or expanded facility shall commence until the department has issued an operating permit to the owner or operator of such facility.
2. Notification of the proposed new or expanded CAFO must be provided to all neighbors within three times the buffer distance (was previously one and one-half times). Notice must be provided to all neighbors within 9,000 feet of a Class 1A CAFO, within 6,000 feet of a Class 1B CAFO and within 3,000 feet of a Class 1C CAFO.
3. All liquefied manure from a CAFO that is sold or given to a third party and is surface-applied must meet application setbacks established in the law.

The CAFO annual report form is due January 28 of each year. This form is now required to be submitted electronically through the Electronic Discharge Monitoring Reports (eDMR) system. The eDMR system is accessed through the department's Missouri Gateway for Environmental Management (MoGEM) online portal system. You must have a MoGEM account in order to access eDMR.

• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Annual Report MO 780-1953

The department held two training sessions for CAFO owners and operators to cover the process of submitting annual reports electronically. Recordings of those trainings are provided below.

• Annual Reporting Requirements Training for CAFOs, Nov. 20, 2023
• Annual Reporting Requirements-MoGEM Training for CAFOs, Dec. 13, 2023

If you are unable to use eDMR, because you do not have internet access or for religious reasons, you will need to complete an Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report Waiver Request Form MO 780-2692 and submit it by mail to the department at the following address:

Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Water Protection Program
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Publications and Fact Sheets

• Animal Feeding Operation Permits and Regulations in Missouri - PUB2351
• Manure Export Guidance - PUB3036
• Requirements and Best Management Practices for Temporary Stockpiles of Poultry Litter and Other Dry Process Waste - PUB2503
• Wet Weather Management Practices for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) - PUB2422

Maps

The Class II operations that appear on maps include only those that are currently permitted and do not represent the total statewide count of all Class II operations in Missouri. The department does not track nor have records of non-permitted Class II Operations.

• Animal Feeding Operations Map
• HUC-12 Maps - Click on the "Layer List" icon in the top right of the map tool bar (it looks like a stack of three papers). Scroll to the bottom of the list and select "12-digit Watershed Boundaries". Close the layer list and zoom to your area on the map. Click on the selected area to obtain the HUC-12 identification number.

Permitting Resources

• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Annual Report MO 780-1953
• Missouri Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Nutrient Management Technical Standards
• Missouri Phosphorous Index (P-Index) - A tool used in developing the CAFO Nutrient Management Plan to help identify fields that have a high probability of phosphorus loss in surface water runoff. This index was developed by the University of Missouri Extension.
• Missouri Phosphorus Index (P-Index) Spreadsheet, April 2005
• Nutrient Management Planner - University of Missouri-Extension
• Soil Sampling Hayfields and Row Crops - University of Missouri-Extension
• Soil Sampling Pastures - University of Missouri-Extension

Other Related Information

• Agriculture and Energy 
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program - U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Missouri Natural Resources Conservation Service  - U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Soil and Water Conservation Program