In the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic change in animal agricultural production in the United States. These changes have included an increase in the overall size of individual operations, an increase in the number of animals raised per operation and a shift toward raising poultry and certain livestock within production barns as a mechanism to increase production efficiencies.
An operation is defined as an animal feeding operation (AFO) if the facility confines, stables or feeds animals for 45 days or more in a 12-month period and a ground cover of vegetation is not sustained over at least 50% of the confinement area. An operation is defined as a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) if it meets the definition of an animal feeding operation and also confines more than 1,000 animal units (1,000 animal units is equal to 2,500 swine, 100,000 broilers, 700 dairy cows or 1,000 beef steers).
An operation's "class size" is a category that is based upon the total number of animal units confined at an operation. The Class 1C,1B and 1A are categories that start at 1,000, 3,000 and 7,000 animal units respectively and are required by state regulation to obtain a permit.
Class II operations confine less than 1,000 animal units and by definition, are only an animal feeding operation. Class II operations are not required to have a permit, although many voluntarily obtain one anyway. The department can also 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. 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.
New technologies and modern waste-management systems help properly manage animal waste by providing a safe, reliable fertilizer source for farming operations. Proper waste management protects the environment and ultimately makes a farm more productive.
Permit Renewals
- Draft Missouri State Operating Master General Permit MO-G010000 Public Comment Period, Oct. 31, 2022 to Nov. 30, 2022
- Draft Missouri State Operating Master General Permit MO-GS10000 Public Comment Period, Oct. 31, 2022 to Nov. 30, 2022
- Master General Permit MO-G010000 and MO-GS10000 Public Availability Session, Nov. 8, 2022
- Master General Permits MO-G01000 and MO-GS10000 Public Comments
- Response to Public Comments on the Draft Master General Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Permits, MOG01 and MOGS1
Documents
- Draft Missouri State Operating Master General Permit MOG01000, Oct. 31, 2022
- Draft Missouri State Operating Master General Permit MOGS1000, Oct. 31, 2022
- Manure Export Guidance - PUB3036
- Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Master General Permit Renewal - Frequently Asked Questions
- Form W - Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Operating Permit Application MO 780-2112
- Draft Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Annual Report MO 780-1953
- 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.
Previous Meetings
The department previously held three public informational meetings regarding the reissuances, as an opportunity for the public to ask questions, share information and discuss issues.
- Public Meeting, April 7, 2022 - Presentation (4/7/22) - Video Recording (4/7/22)
- Public Meeting, May 19, 2022 - Presentation (5/19/22) - Video Recording (5/19/22)
- Public Meeting, June 16, 2022 - Presentation (6/16/22) - Video Recording (6/16/22)