Iowa Farm Transitions from Hog CAFO to Mushroom Cultivation with Transfarmation Project Support
The Faaborg family farm in central Iowa has successfully transitioned from a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) that raised thousands of hogs to cultivating specialty mushrooms. This transformation was made possible with technical and financial support from The Transfarmation Project, an initiative of Mercy For Animals. The Faaborgs, who previously housed 1,100 hogs in each of their two buildings, have retrofitted half of one 200-foot-long hog barn into a 'fruiting room' for mushrooms. This farm now serves as Transfarmation's second demonstration hub in the U.S., providing a model for other industrial animal farmers looking to switch to sustainable practices like growing mushrooms, diversified vegetables, or incorporating agroecology. The project aims to repurpose existing farm infrastructure, offering open-source blueprints for converting industrial pig, poultry, and dairy barns.
