The rapid expansion of pig mega-farms in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is wreaking havoc on local ecosystems and communities, residents say. These sprawling facilities, housing up to 50,000 pigs each, are linked to severe environmental damage, including water pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

The issue has been most acutely felt in towns like Sitilpech, where the stench of excrement has lingered since a mega-farm opened in 2017. Residents report blackened tree leaves, failing crops, and foul-smelling water. Once a vital resource for cooking and drinking, the aquifer water is now unsuitable even for animals.

These farms, part of a network of 500-800 facilities in the region, are managed by companies like Kekén, Mexico’s largest pork exporter. With annual revenues exceeding $1.9 billion, Kekén supplies markets in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. Critics say these farms operate without environmental permits and lack prior consultation with Indigenous communities, as required by law.

The farms produce vast amounts of waste, including excrement, antibiotics, and hormones, which seep into porous limestone bedrock and contaminate the Ring of Cenotes—a unique network of sinkholes and underground rivers. Water testing by scientists and community members has revealed contamination by E. coli and other bacteria, correlating with a rise in intestinal infections in Yucatán during the farms’ expansion.

For local biodiversity, the impact is devastating. “This pollution breaks all ecological balances,” says environmental lawyer Lourdes Medina Carrillo. “It impacts native fauna and flora, causes loss of biodiversity, and pollutes interconnected water sources.”

Despite these issues, protests have faced heavy resistance. In 2023, police violently dispersed demonstrators in Sitilpech. Legal challenges have achieved mixed success, with the Supreme Court ruling against a Kekén facility in Homún for causing “grave and irreversible harm.”

Kekén defends its practices, claiming its biodigesters ensure efficient water use and that it contributes positively to local communities. However, residents allege deforestation and the destruction of century-old trees crucial for their livelihoods, such as beekeeping.

While President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has acknowledged the need for regulation, she opposes closing the farms. “There is technology to avoid contamination,” she said, urging enforcement of existing rules.

For now, Yucatán’s residents continue their struggle against a powerful industry reshaping their environment and way of life.