Albany, NY – At a press conference in the State Capitol this afternoon, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and Senator Jabari Brisport joined environmental and animal welfare groups to announce bold new legislation that would ban the permitting of new and expansion of existing factory farms across New York.

The bill seeks to halt the spread of mega-dairies and other industrial livestock operations that generate massive amounts of untreated waste, pollute air and water, and accelerate public health risks — while driving family farmers out of business.

Advocates say New York is facing a tipping point, with industrial farms expanding rapidly and state policy continuing to favor agribusiness over sustainable agriculture and rural communities.

“Massive factory farms are driving small farms out of New York State and causing significant damage to our environment in the process,” said Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal. “These farms, known as CAFOs, prioritize profit over the wellbeing of animals and the health of our environment, cramming thousands of animals into confined spaces. The waste produced by CAFOs contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, creates dangerous water runoff that pollutes our waterways and can lead to more harmful algal blooms. To protect our environment, preserve small farms and improve our communities, we must pass my bill to end the approval of more large factory farms in our state.”

“The rise of factory farming in New York is rapidly contaminating our water and air; we’ve got to stop this before it gets any worse,” said Senator Jabari Brisport.

“I’m grateful to Assemblymember Rosenthal and Senator Brisport for their leadership in confronting the environmental and public health threats posed by factory farming,” said Assembly Member Amy Paulin. “These industrial operations pollute our water, endanger our climate, and threaten the vitality of family farms and rural communities. This legislation is a bold and necessary step to protect New York’s environment and ensure a more sustainable and equitable food system. I’m proud to support this bill in the fight for healthier communities across our state.”

“Mega-dairies and other industrial livestock operations are dumping massive amounts of untreated waste into our environment — contaminating our water, polluting the air, and putting nearby communities at risk,” said Eric Weltman, New York Senior Organizer with Food & Water Watch. “This bill is a crucial step to stop that pollution at the source and protect the health and safety of New Yorkers. We need policies that hold industrial agribusiness accountable — not ones that let them pollute with impunity.”

Speakers at the event included representatives from Food & Water Watch and Third Act Upstate. They urged legislative leaders to act swiftly before the end of session to pass the bill and stop the unchecked growth of factory farms.

The legislation has already garnered support from 30 organizations across New York — including climate, faith, food, and animal rights groups — underscoring the growing, broad-based demand for action.

In 2022, more than 425,000 cows lived on mega-dairies across New York — producing over 17 billion pounds of untreated manure annually, equivalent to the waste of 12.9 million people. This waste contributes to water pollution, including harmful algal blooms (HABs), methane emissions, and respiratory health risks for nearby communities, many of which are low-income and communities of color.

The bill would prevent any new factory farms from being permitted in New York, while halting the expansion of existing ones — a move advocates say is urgently needed to protect the state’s environment, rural economy, and public health.