DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new report on the rapid expansion of hog farms in Iowa concludes the state’s regulatory system is failing to protect the environment and public health for the sake of profit by the politically powerful livestock industry.

The report released Thursday by retired University of Iowa professors James Merchant and David Osterberg recommends a moratorium on new construction until an improved permitting process can be implemented. The pork industry acknowledges rapid growth but considers it good for farmers and the economy.

Eldon McAfee, an agriculture law attorney for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says environmental and health concerns are being addressed by the current system. He says a moratorium would devastate the industry and Iowa’s economy, adding it’s unneeded because the current permit system has worked for 16 years.