Hog production in North America and Western Europe

is increasingly characterized by large-scale, capital intensive operations. These structural changes, com-bined with emerging spatial concentrations, have caused researchers to speculate that people living in the vicinity of hog barns may display some of the negative health effects that have already been well documented among hog-barn workers. This paper builds on three previous US-based studies, attempting to detect the presence of a hog-barn neighbourhood effect in the County of Lethbridge in southern Alberta. Results, while not definitive, are generally consistent with previ-ous studies, indicating the possibility of this phenome-non in the region. The paper concludes that planning and development-control authorities should continue to apply the precautionary principle when considering development-permit applications for intensive livestock feeding operations