DES MOINES – To promote economic growth in the state, the Iowa Senate has OK’d a bill that puts a cap on the damages livestock producers would face in nuisance lawsuits.
In Senate File 447, approved Tuesday by the Senate in a 31-18 vote, the Iowa general assembly finds that important public interests are advanced by preserving and encouraging the expansion of responsible animal agricultural production in this state which provides employment opportunities in and economic growth for rural Iowa, contributes tax revenues to the state and to local communities, and protects our valuable natural resources.
The bill states that the purpose of the legislation is to encourage persons involved in animal agriculture to adopt existing prudent and generally utilized management practices for their animal feeding operations, thereby enhancing the fundamental role of nimal agriculture in this state by providing a reasonable level of protection to persons engaged in animal agricultural production from certain types of nuisance actions.
The general assembly claims it has balanced all competing interests and declares its intent to preserve and enhance responsible animal agricultural production, specifically animal agricultural producers in this state who use existing prudent and generally utilized management practices reasonable for their animal feeding operations.
A nuisance from a livestock producer could range from sound pollution, smell, air pollution, water pollution, etc. Financial damages would be limited under the bill. “Big ag” has come under fire across the state as water quality allegedly dwindles. Citizens have become more vocal over water concerns, as well.
Democratic Representative Sharon Steckman of Mason City said via social media after the Senate passed the bill “An economic development bill? Really???”
This year, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey expounded on the virtues of animal livestock and agriculture in Iowa, saying “animal agriculture continues to be a driving force in our state’s economy … we continue to lead the nation in the production of pork and eggs and also have very important beef, dairy and turkey production. It has been a challenges (sic) time economically for many of our livestock farmers, but thanks for all your hard work helps make sure Iowa remains a great place to raise livestock.”
A companion bill is in the Iowa House at this time. Both chambers are controlled by Republicans, and the bill is expected to eventually reach the desk of Governor Terry Branstad, who would likely sign it into law immediately.
Cut farm subsides by 70% and give this money to poor people on social security where it is needed – Fat cat farmer/elected politicans are rotten to the core.
Be sure to cut the graft from the welfare programs also. And let’s make parents feed and support 100 percent of the cost of their own children rather than the taxpayer.
Tired of all the free-bees that the lazy citizens that are capable to work
People die from drinking poisoned drinking water – never heard of anyone dying from a Harley exhaust pipe ? Bikes are loud for a reason – to let the liberals know they are there so the morons won’t run over them. Nice try at trying to change the supject of poisoning children to noise control – we are on to you POS –
Livestock nuisance? What about motorcycle nuisance?
Ever wonder why people leave our state?
EPA – 50/50 success rate – thay polluted that whole river out west a while back when they opened and old storage mine – if you rely on them for clean water it won’t invovle hurting a large corporation. I would trust a private company far more for answers.
Brought to you by the same crooks who pushed Prestage Slaughter House down our throats. Governor Braindead (of China), Mayor Eric and the MC mafia.
What did you expect when most of these elected officials are farmers ? Think they care about your polluted drinking water? – Some are foreign owned companies such as Smithfield (China) This bill probably is to protect the northern farmers from lawsuits already filed by numerous southern counties including areas around Des Moines as to water pollution originating in these northern feed lots and chemical spraying of their crops which has poisoned the rivers flowing south where these cities obtain their drinking water from – wheww! got that bill thru just in time . Cut farm subsides (62 BILLION dollars at last estimate – GO TRUMP -cut the fat.
“GO TRUMP -cut the fat.”
Well, so far Trump is attempting to slash the EPA & negate the Clean Water act, so I guess your definition of “cutting the fat” corresponds right along with the Iowa Senate.
You cut that fat, Trump, who the hell needs clean water.