On August 28, 2024, UEP joined the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Pork Producers Council, and US Poultry & Egg Association (Ag Coalition) in Boston to appeal the decision from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee meeting in June to update NFPA 150 to require sprinklers in agricultural barns of certain sizes. On September 13, 2024, the Ag Coalition received notice that the NFPA had denied the appeal of the sprinkler requirement in NFPA 150.  The new standard language is as follows and will take effect January 1, 2025:

• 3.5.1 Automatic Fire Sprinklers.
• 3.5.1.1 Class A Facilities meeting or exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency animal size threshold of a Medium Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation shall be provided with automatic fire sprinklers in accordance with Section 9.2, unless otherwise permitted by 17.3.5.1.2 .
• 3.5.1.2 Where approved by the AHJ, sprinkler protection required by 17.3.5.1 shall not be required where equivalent alternative active or passive protection, or a combination thereof, is provided.

Although the inclusion of the language regarding medium CAFOs is frustrating, it should be noted that Section 17.3.5.1.2 gives the local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), which would be local fire officials, the right to determine that a farm has adequate alternative measures in place and that sprinklers are not required.

In addition, each state government has the right to determine which fire code it will adopt between the International Fire Code and the NFPA fire code. Eleven states (Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia) have adopted the NFPA code. Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maryland did not adopt the agricultural standards of those eleven states.

UEP members should consider engaging in proactive conversations with the state fire marshals in the states where they operate regarding the inappropriateness of this language as it relates to egg operations. Click here to view codes each state adopts. UEP and the Ag Coalition continue to meet regularly to discuss the next steps, including increased involvement in the NFPA 150 committee from across various aspects of the livestock sectors.

For questions, please contact Lauren Lurkins.