Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, warned that Thursday's Iowa Supreme Court decision takes away the property rights of family farms and rural residents who are neighbors of factory farms. While Lehman did not comment on the specifics of the particular farms and neighbors involved, he noted that the impact of the case gives even more power to factory farms and the massively consolidated livestock packer industry.
"The vast majority of Iowa farmers raise livestock responsibly. But this decision gives advantages to corporate entities that don't respect their neighbors or their communities. It hurts rural residents and family farmers because it will give special rights to factory farm interests controlled by some of the largest monopolies in our country.
We ought to have checks and balances in our society. Property rights shouldn't be taken away by legislators and given to someone else. The courts should stop it when they do.
The legislature has failed to enact reasonable protections for our water, our land, and our communities. State-wide regulations have been weak and poorly enforced. Local communities have been removed from any decision-making process to protect their interests. And family-size livestock operations have had their markets choked closed.
It is more important than ever that the legislature take action to encourage responsible livestock producers and protect our rural communities and landscape."
Categories: Iowa, General