Largest cattle facility east of the Mississippi to be located in Central NY?

A major livestock and ethanol project, including finishing and slaughter facilities for 72,000 beef cattle and ethanol production from their waste, could come to Oswego County (about 80 miles north of Ithaca), according to a company press release. 


The company, Bion Environmental Technologies, is considering Oswego County in part because the transportation infrastructure (port and rail) can handle bulk shipments of corn, beef, and ethanol.


The company claims the project will be a "worldwide model for environmental sustainability" because the waste treatment technology will lead to "the smallest per head environmental footprint of any large livestock operation in the world."  The company also claims that it will create a regional market for farm crops, return 25,000 acres of abandoned farmland to production, and create jobs.


An Oswego newspaper reported that, if accepted, the project is still several years away.


Because of the large size of the operation, it is considered a CAFO, a confined animal feeding operation, where animals are kept on a small land area.  Feed is brought to the animals (as opposed to animals grazing) and manure, urine, and dead animals are congregated in one place.


New York State Department of Environmental Conservation maintains a map of CAFOs within the State.