After 13 years, large-scale swine farms are banned — permanently — within the Buffalo River watershed, ending a saga that started when Arkansas environmental regulators quietly approved a general water permit for C&H Hog Farms in 2012.

The Arkansas Legislative Council reviewed and approved the regulations containing the so-called permit moratorium during its Friday meeting without discussion. It marked the culmination of over a decade of efforts from environmental advocates and their allies to prevent a similar large-scale swine farm, known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) from taking root in the watershed. The moratorium specifically applies to medium and large swine CAFOs that meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition.