Livestock farms are polluting the air of vulnerable towns in the Mountain West, study finds

KUNR Public Radio | By Kaleb Roedel

Published August 25, 2025 at 2:55 PM MDT

A large white truck on the left of the image is pouring feed for cows in a long thing trough that extends for hundreds of feet. On the right of the image, cows in a holding pen are waiting for the trough to be filled. — A truck pours feed into a trough for a herd of cattle to eat at Snyder Livestock Company outside of Yerington, Nev., on March 9, 2023.

A new study led by the University of Michigan shows that large livestock farms are polluting the air across the U.S., including parts of the Mountain West. Researchers say these impacts are felt hardest by nearby communities, where people of color often live.

The study, published in the journal Nature, mapped more than 15,000 cattle and hog feeding operations, where livestock kick up dust, and manure is stored in open-air lagoons.

Researchers found particle pollution known as fine particulate matter – or PM2.5 – linked to heart and lung problems was nearly 30% higher near cattle farms and nearly 11% higher near hog farms.

Hotspots were found in southern Idaho, eastern Colorado, southern New Mexico, southern Arizona and western Utah. Elevated particle pollution levels were also detected in parts of Nevada, Montana and Wyoming.

The most polluted communities have high percentages of residents without health insurance, said Sanaz Chamanara, the study’s lead author.

“These are often Latino farm workers, rural communities without much political clout, people who just can't pack up and move when their air gets dirty,” Chamanara said.

She said the findings give affected communities the data they need to push for cleaner air and stronger public health protections.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.