Rewriting for Clarity: Macro Farms, Environmental Impact, and Policy Actions in Europe

All told, Spanish environmental groups critique macro farms and intensive industrial livestock facilities that house thousands of cattle in compact spaces. The broad impact on the environment includes climate change contributions, greenhouse gas emissions, aquifer pollution, and deforestation. Conservationists also point to animal abuse concerns.

A royal decree was issued to curb these practices by limiting the herd size on a farm to about 725 dairy cows or 850 cattle units. The document drew measured applause from environmental circles, seen as a positive step for the environment, waters, regions, and animals, yet regarded as insufficient by many critics.

The new standard aims to definitively curb the problem, targeting a project by Valle de Odieta at Noviercas to operate 23,520 cows, which would make it the largest in Europe and among the five biggest worldwide. The legislation also blocks the expansion of existing farms, which would defeat a plan by Kaparoso to enlarge its operations significantly beyond the new cap.

Removal of hundreds of dead chickens from a macro farm photographed in Iscar. Greenpeace attribution.

Despite the limits, Greenpeace argues that 850 cattle remains too large and the environmental footprint persists. The NGO has filed a claim for a maximum capacity of 180 heads. Valle de Odieta has said it will appeal the decree to the Supreme Court.

Goal is to reduce cattle herd by 50%

Reducing the cattle herd by half by 2030 is presented as essential to address climate change, water pollution, emissions, and animal suffering. Greenpeace notes that other European nations have enacted more ambitious measures.

For example, Holland approved a law creating a Ministry of Nature and Nitrogen in 2022 with plans to cut emissions by up to 70 percent, potentially closing one in three farms. Germany, the EU’s largest pork exporter, will suspend veterinary certificates for livestock shipments outside the EU this summer, a move expected to shrink both the number and size of farms.

In Belgium’s Flanders region, the government offers compensation to pig producers who reduce capacity or close farms, a policy Greenpeace has tracked alongside a growing petition effort against macro farms.

Greenpeace argues that these nations should serve as models and that decisive action is needed against macro farm models that raise animals rapidly to maximize profits. An example cited is piglets being fed to reach 120 kilograms in six months.

It is noted that the farming model has continued expanding since the 1960s, with cattle numbers rising and pig populations multiplying, a trend Greenpeace says comes at a price for the planet. Current data show groundwater reserves under stress from overuse and nitrate contamination linked to intensive livestock and agricultural practices.

Fields turned to garbage

Macro farms convert fields into waste-rich landscapes due to large fecal outputs, which, although usable in some contexts, can become toxic when produced in vast quantities, Greenpeace reports. Agriculture is described as a major driver of climate change in Spain, with livestock accounting for a large share of emissions. The organization notes that the livestock sector is a major contributor to government emissions and is largely responsible for emissions in the agricultural domain.

Macro farms symbolize industrial livestock operations that rely on fossil fuels for fertilizing, gathering, and transporting inputs, generating substantial waste that exceeds natural processing capacity, seeping into both aquifers and surface waters. Intensive farming beyond the local area also drives heavy land use, including deforestation to grow feed crops such as soybeans.

Caparroso macro farm in Navarra is shown in a Greenpeace image attribution.

How do different farm types differ? David González, co-founder of the Sustraiak Habitat Design cooperative and an expert in regenerative agriculture and soil restoration, distinguishes them as follows:

Intensive livestock farming emphasizes high profitability per kilogram of meat produced within industrial barn systems.

Comprehensive livestock relies on grazing a regional herd with local resources, sometimes incorporating mixed systems that feed animals at certain times of the year for reasons like weather or calving, with housing needs managed accordingly.

Regenerative livestock centers on 100 percent grass-fed practices focused on soil recovery through careful grazing patterns.

Migration livestock depends on 100 percent local grazing sources for feed.

Greenpeace reports collect signatures against macro farms as part of a broader campaign for reform in the sector, attributing environmental and social harms to these operations. Greenpeace notes the need for action and reform across several countries to curb the growth of macro farms and promote sustainable alternatives.

Contact details for the environmental department are not included in this version and are presented only as general information in attribution notes. Greenpeace continues to advocate for policy change and stronger oversight of large-scale livestock operations, urging governments to adopt measures that reduce environmental impact and improve animal welfare, while encouraging producers to embrace regenerative and sustainable farming practices.