The beef production industry, specifically its inconsistent hygienic practices and the nature of the production, poses an issue for public health.  A push for public health specifically in the beef production industry was introduced due to a cow having Mad Cow Disease or BSE in 2003 (Walker et al., 2005). Pathogens such as salmonella can accumulate in CAFO-generated wastes, along with nitrate levels in the water that are dangerously high. In one study made, 458 pounds of beef was bought, with every single pound containing fecal matter (How Safe Is Your Ground Beef, 2015). It is apparent that the sanitary conditions of the industry are lackluster and dangerous at all levels. This affects not only the average citizen by way of potentially contaminated food and spilled waste into the environment but by air pollution. This only worsens for those who live near CAFOs, who have increased cases of physical and mental health concerns (Donham et al., 2007). Another demographic that has been ignored is CAFO workers, who are increasingly at risk for disease and worsened health. While working at the grounds to be able to gain an income to take home, employees are risking their health, which may further worsen their financial situations with hospital bills and time off work.

One of the biggest and most successful ways that we can change as a society is through education. If we advocate for the education for farmers, consumers, students, and affected communities as a way to improve the situation, we can all understand the urgency of the problem. By teaching farmers, they may begin to understand the importance of their water usage and what changes may be taken into consideration to improve the situation. For example, a quick solution to water usage in the farming industry could be to only raise cattle with grass, not grain. However, farmers will not be making as much profit as they are because the cattle will take longer to grow large enough to be slaughtered. A solution could be that the government covers the costs of certain parts of their production process or may provide grants to those that switch to grass-fed. For consumers, we can teach them about the difference between the beef that they buy in the grocery stores. By doing so, consumers can feel encouraged to either reduce their beef intake or pick more grass-fed beef so these farmers may profit more and we can begin steering away from grain-fed cows grown in CAFOs. Lastly, we can educate our children, after all, they are the future and will be taking care of the country one day. If we educate students, they may instinctively know that it is better to support grass-fed cattle farmers, similar to how generations now are very accustomed to recycling. We can inform them about all of the side effects and teach them the importance of clean water and how to use it sustainably, along with all of the side effects that it will have on our communities. Teach them how something that doesn't seem like their problem, essentially is, because it affects everyone. 

In addition, the mitigation of health effects of unhygenic beef production and water usage is directly linked to improving the practice as a whole. There is a disconnect between the health of our citizens and the 'health' of the beef industry as a whole (Walker et al., 2005). By creating a distinguishable connection between the meat and health industries, both can improve temendously, both by themselves and in relation to one another.