Published March 11, 2007
Mason City Globe Gazette Editorial

Proposed livestock bill seems to be right on the money

   =:Summary
   Rep. Mark Kuhn's bill addresses the appropriate concerns. We urge the 
Legislature to pass it and Gov. Culver to sign it.

   When Iowa Rep. Mark Kuhn, D-Charles City, was at the "Smell of Money" 
livestock forum hosted by the Globe Gazette and KIMT-TV in January, he 
predicted that this would be the year when the Iowa Legislature considers 
enacting more controls over livestock confinement operations.

   Kuhn - a farmer himself - last week sponsored a bill that would increase 
the separation distances for new confinement buildings from homes, public 
use resources, water sources, businesses, schools and churches.

   The law would extend new protections to cities, tourist destinations, 
planned housing developments and farrowing operations, according to coverage 
of the proposed law by the Globe Gazette's Des Moines Bureau.

   Under the proposal, confinements could not be built within one mile of a 
tourist destination or within two miles of a "high-quality water resource" 
such as a tourist destination like Clear Lake.

   The plan would also reduce by half - from 2,500 hogs to 1,250 - the size 
of an operation that is required to have a state construction permit.

   The bill passed its first major hurdle Thursday night when the House 
Environmental Protection Committee, of which Kuhn is a member, OK'd it on a 
party line vote and kept it safe from Friday's first "funnel" deadline.

   In arguing for the bill, Kuhn said livestock regulations passed in 2002 
have not been effective, pointing to a pile of statistics, including one 
that shows the vast majority of livestock producers are building confinement 
buildings closer to someone else's home than to their own.

   "We're not protecting our air and water and community like we thought we 
would," Kuhn said.

   As expected, opposition to the bill is fierce, with most arguing that the 
rules would limit livestock growth in the state and prevent some farmers 
from starting or expanding livestock operations.

   We have said many times that we agree the livestock industry, especially 
including pork, is important to Iowa's economy. We have said that there is 
room in the state for the industry to expand safely.

   But that doesn't mean it's appropriate to expand everywhere. And it 
doesn't mean that every farmer has an inalienable right to raise livestock 
just because he's a farmer. We tell other businesses and industries where 
they can and can't locate all the time, based on the environment and the 
neighbors. Livestock operations should be treated no differently.

   Kuhn's bill stops short of giving local governments or local residents 
veto power over livestock confinements. He says flat out that he doesn't 
have enough support this year to go that far.

   Still, Kuhn's plan looks like it would make significant progress in 
protecting the environment and protecting neighbors, and we urge the 
Legislature to pass it and Gov. Culver to sign it.

   The best way to solve livestock industry problems long-term is through 
continued research on ways to minimize the negative impacts of the industry. 
That means making sure that farmers aren't adversely affected by working in 
the confinement buildings, making sure the environment isn't fouled by 
either planned or unplanned practices that affect the land, air or 
groundwater, and making sure neighbors aren't unreasonably affected by 
nuisance aspects such as odor.

   Until those problems can be solved through new practices or technology, 
it's prudent to make sure the law allows confinement operations to be placed 
only where they are appropriate and least likely to hurt the environment or 
the neighbors.

What's your opinion?Write the Editor's Mailbag at Box 271, Mason City, 
IA50402-0271 or [log in to unmask]

Judy Delperdang
Globe Gazette
(641) 421-0525; (800) 421-0524
fax: (641) 421-7108
email: [log in to unmask]
website: www.globegazette.com

 

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