There is extensive digitized information available on the internet that could help a farmer or nutrient management planner evaluate the suitability of a site for an animal feeding operation or other agricultural activities. Example data layers include digitized orthophoto quadrangles; digital soil survey; water resource information including watershed boundaries, flood plains and drinking water supplies; land use data; and community data such as population and location of parks, schools and churches. Typically this information is inaccessible to farmers and planners because it can be difficult to find and requires specialized training to integrate the information into a relevant analysis.

In Missouri we have developed two internet-based tools that help an untrained user locate a parcel of land and generate an assessment report that catalogs relevant environmental sensitivities of that location. The goals of these reports are to assist farmers and CAFO operators in recognizing environmental risks associated with specific parcels of land and to provide links to resources that could help them manage those risks. The websites use ESRI's ArcIMS© software to access, analyze and present information from Geographic Information System (GIS) databases.

The website “Missouri Animal Feeding Operation Site Selection Report” (http://www.cares.missouri.edu/afosite/) is an educational tool specifically targeted to help livestock operations understand and manage their potential community and environmental impacts. Topics addressed include proximity to sensitive community and water resources and existing animal feeding operations, cataloging soil and water resources, and reporting relevant state and county regulatory requirements.

The website “Business Environmental Risk Management (BERM)” (www.cares.missouri.edu/berm) is a more general tool targeted to help any agricultural operation assess a wide range of environmental issues including impaired waters, endangered species and pesticide restriction areas.