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Final words on Health Ordinance

Editor
Posted 7/24/18

To the Editor: We write in hopes the press will do what it does best: bring clarity and enlightenment to a complex issue. Everyone has noticed that Howard County has two important issues on the …

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Final words on Health Ordinance

Posted

To the Editor: We write in hopes the press will do what it does best: bring clarity and enlightenment to a complex issue. Everyone has noticed that Howard County has two important issues on the ballot August 7 which could be misunderstood. These two issues come down to the same thing: Big Money wants voter support for something beneficial to them, not to us.

Proposition A promotes the right to work for less and seeks to restrict workers’ rights to bargain for a fair deal. Only Big Money wants that. We must oppose them.

Question 1 is about a Health Ordinance. Our County Commissioners are asking for our endorsement of their effort to block an invasion of our county by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. Big Money seeks to flood Missouri with CAFOs which bring pollution, disease, and unlivable conditions such as now exist in many parts of Iowa where there are thousands of CAFOs. Big Money wants CAFOs. We must oppose them.

That is why we will vote NO on Proposition A and YES on Question 1. The ballot is complex and can be easily misunderstood. We hope everyone will be careful and thoughtful when voting.

Jim and Taffy Wallace

Fayette

To the Editor: We share the same goal of keeping the $88.4 billion agriculture industry strong statewide and protecting opportunities for our members at the local level. We stand together for the men and women who provide the food and jobs on which our communities depend. I am a producer myself and while I do want to see small producers succeed; I see the value in relationships with larger integrators who have the ability to collaborate with small producers and develop mutually beneficial relationships. We live in an area where corn and soybean production is a major economic driver; as such, it is a good thing for corn and soybean producers to have outlets for their production nearby. More animals eating more feed equals increased demand for grain and higher prices and vice versa. Hiding behind the veil of a “health ordinance” is very dangerous. Please vote NO on Question 1.

Jason Oser

To the Editor: To farmers opposed to our health ordinance: you should be aware what you wish for. CAFOs are the bullies here, and they will bring family cattle farmers the same thing they brought to family farmers who raised hogs…the eventual certainty that family cattle farmers will be pushed out by the same corporate operations that wiped out hog farms in the 1990s.

Most of the money out of state CAFOs reap will not stay here–profits will leave Howard County, and all we will gain are the health and quality of life problems these in enormous animal operations create. Thousands of animals, confined on crowded feedlots and in enormous buildings that will lead to:

1. Poor air quality, with dust blown from the barns, and from liquid waste, spread on fields, which becomes airborne dust when fields are prepared for planting. Odor makes it impossible to enjoy being outdoors, as the enveloping dust can contribute to asthma and chronic bronchitis in children.

2. Water pollution with nitrates and antibiotic discharge from an enormous number of animals. CAFOs create huge amounts of animal “waste” including urine, manure and animal carcasses, disposed of on their own premises and on those of neighboring farms.

The health ordinance, which has been in place in our county for over a year, is designed to protect, not hinder you. You won’t be deprived of anything. You WILL be protected from the onslaught of corporate “farms,” owned by investors who don’t care that their operations can pollute our water, land and the air people living near them are forced to breathe.

If you love your way of life, and you want to be able to pass that on to your children and their children, you should protect yourself from the invasion of out-of-state corporate CAFOs. Vote YES for our County Health Ordinance.

Jacqueline Byland

Fayette, MO

To the Editor: Growing up on a farm and marrying into a farm family, Question 1 has been heavy on my mind. As a taxpayer and a farmer’s wife, I have a lot of uncertainties regarding this ordinance. At a meeting on July 9, Commissioner Stroupe was unable to provide the name of the individual in charge of enforcing this ordinance and what training would be provided to ensure proper enforcement moving forward. In 2014, the Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a judgement against the Scotland County commissioners for the failure to properly enforce their health ordinance. That lawsuit ended up costing the county nearly $200,000 taxpayer dollars. Mr. Commissioner, does Howard County have an insurance policy that will cover legal fees in the case of a lawsuit? In a county that has lost 2 major businesses in recent years, can we afford a $200,000 lawsuit? If you can’t name the person who will be enforcing this ordinance, should we have faith that they are capable and properly trained? I would rather my tax dollars go towards schools and roads. My husband works sun up to sun down farming and continually growing the family operation. More regulation and red tape is detrimental to young farmers in Howard County. Please support your farmers and protect our tax dollars by voting NO on Question 1.

Paige Kircher

To the Editor: August elections are close at hand. Citizens of Howard County have a choice for local control to protect our air, land and water by voting YES to Question 1 in the upcoming election. I am opposed to granting a permit to any corporate entity for operation of a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) in Howard County. Noxious odors are one of the most noticeable detriments to having a CAFO nearby. If you drive from Glasgow to Gilliam, you’ll pass by a CAFO located right off the highway. You will probably need to roll up car windows to avoid the choking fumes. Numerous studies are available documenting the harmful effects of CAFO’s to public health by polluting the water, air and land. And many of these CAFOs are owned by out-of-state and foreign corporations who aren’t our neighbors and have no stake in our communities. They simply want to take from our communities and send the profits to another state or even a foreign country.

I for one do not want our county to open its doors to any business that does not have the best interest of the citizens of Howard County. Vote YES to Question 1 on the August ballot.

Denise Haskamp

Glasgow, MO

To the Editor: I urge you to vote no on a continuation of the county health ordinance. This ordinance was put into place for one reason, to block a large scale pork operation from entering our county. Since enacting this ordinance, the planned hog operation has left our county, but the restrictions in place will continue to impact livestock producers in our county. This health ordinance WILL affect our local farmers and ranchers by directly limiting future expansion of farming operations.

Many things have been said over the last few weeks about producing livestock in a confinement system. Several local “experts” have come out of the woodwork to speak out about the “evils” associated with production in a confinement system. The information presented has been manure.

American consumers are more removed from the realities of food production than ever before. Many people have no idea what it takes to produce food for the billions of people around the world. Farms have increased in size over the years, and large scale livestock production is a necessity to help feed a growing world. Future producers need to utilize production efficiency, and modern technologies, in order to produce enough food for the billions of people in our world.

A health ordinance was established to prevent the entrance of infectious, contagious, communicable, or dangerous diseases into our county. Friends, and neighbors, we already have a communicable disease, with the fear mongering and outright lies that have been spread about modern agriculture over the last few weeks.

No one wants their property rights trampled upon, by a “new neighbor” or the politicians up the street.

Fact: manure stinks whether it comes from a pig, a cow, a chicken, or big pile of politics.

Let’s all be good neighbors

Logan Chrislaw

Family Farmer and

local livestock aficionado

To the Editor: Please vote YES to keep our Howard County Health Ordinance. Corporate CAFO farming is not family farming; it is destructive profiteering at the expense of town and country neighbors, CMU, small town growth and vitality and family farms that will be at increased risk for diseased stock. The loudest voices in favor of CAFOs seem to be those thinking they will get rich by selling/leasing inherited land with no regard for others or the environment. Our local cattlemen and livestock farms are not in violation of the health ordinance; the health ordinance protects us from corporate farming that is largely run by foreign interests.

As a cardiac nurse, I listened to patients tell story after sad story of communities destroyed by CAFOs in northern MO and the Sedalia area. Folks signed contracts, couldn’t keep up with the upgrade demands and lost their farms in many instances. People near hog operations moved out of town, leaving only those unfortunate enough to work for the Chinese owned CAFOs. Schools consolidated, community identities were lost, and social problems escalated (drugs, poverty, apathy). I am not exaggerating when I say I heard these stories over and over. Hearts were broken. I am thankful that our commissioners have given us a chance to vote. I love a good pile of horse manure as much as anyone, but CAFOs can smell like death.

Howard County is rich with beauty and resources. It offers a quality of life that others may only ever dream of. Don’t take it for granted. Protect it as good stewards. Take a deep grateful breath and vote YES in favor of the Howard County Health Ordinance.

Bekki Galloway

To the Editor: I am not corporate agriculture. Why are you restricting me?

Agriculture is a leading industry in Howard County and independent family farmers are Howard County agriculture. On August 7th we are going to vote on a county health ordinance that has been written to discourage confined animal feeding. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency regulate confined animal feeding. Howard County has no need for additional regulation. This ordinance might discourage an out of state corporation from establishing a CAFO. This same ordinance absolutely DOES restrict my rights as an independent farmer and the property rights of every family farmer and property owner in Howard County. Please join me in voting NO on Question 1 on August 7th.

Mike Hopper

To the Editor: Do we want to keep Howard County farm families farming? Of course we do. We all need our farm families to be successful as agriculture is vital to Howard County’s economy and future. A “Yes” vote for Question #1 will help ensure everyone’s success. When you read Ordinance 2017-02, you’ll see that it doesn’t “outlaw” CAFO’s at all – it simply puts guidelines in place that help protect the quality of our land, air and water. Ordinance 2017-02 requires CAFO operators to responsibly run their farms. They must locate their operations a reasonable distance from their neighbor’s property and are required to responsibly manage their animal waste. It also ensures that CAFO operators have the financial ability to ensure proper cleanup and disposal of their waste products so they can’t abandon their operation once they are done. A “Yes” vote on Question 1 is our best way to protect Howard County’s farm families, our natural resources and property values.

It’s important that everyone understands that our family farms are under pressure from industrial agriculture. Many farmers are faced with go big or sell out in order to compete and in some cases, survive. Regardless of how the vote goes, the threat to our local farmers and our agricultural community will remain. As a community, we need to come together to understand the needs of agriculture (and all businesses in our county) and unite to help move Howard County forward for future generations. Please join me and vote “Yes” on August 7th.

Jim Lay,

Lay Farms

To the Editor: Please Vote NO on Question 1 - Howard County Health Ordinance.

The Howard County economy depends on agriculture for most of its jobs and tax revenues. Last year the Howard County Commission passed the County Health Ordinance which stopped the investment of over 12 million dollars in a swine facility in a remote part of Howard County. This would have provided many jobs in construction and business for local truckers, rock quarries, concrete plants, restaurants, convenience stores, electricians, carpenters, etc. After construction there would have been 17 full time jobs plus seasonal jobs created with a payroll over one million dollars per year to employees. Significant taxes from the facility would have been paid into the roads and fire protection districts, Fayette School District, and other county services. The employees would have added to the tax base, and be consumers and contributors to the local economy.

The State of Missouri requires the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to regulate all farms and animal feeding operations with regulations based on science. Contamination of water, streams, ponds, wells or springs are not allowed.

The Howard County Health Ordinance was not passed for health reasons, but to stop any CAFO from existing in Howard County. It is a very restrictive document that affects farmers who have 300 animal units or more. Any violation of the ordinance requires the farm to “cease operation immediately”, and “shall be prosecuted, tried and fined”.

This health ordinance prevents farms from investing in their operations and limits their production, which hurts the Howard County economy.

Please Vote NO on Question 1

Glenn Kottman

To the Editor: Last year Pipestone Systems proposed establishing a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) in northern Howard County to house 7900 hogs. Fortunately the Howard County Commissioners passed a health ordinance to allow local control of CAFO regulation and Pipestone decided to look elsewhere. On August 7th, the voters of Howard County will vote on the continuance of the health ordinance and we urge a YES vote. We would like to share some information from Iowa’s experience with CAFOs. Iowa has 3 million residents, 23 million hogs, and averages over 100 CAFOs per county (10,000 total). Confinement hogs produce a tremendous amount of waste (just 17,500 hogs produce as much waste as the city of St. Louis!). With no health ordinances in place and inadequate state regulation (also the case in Missouri), residents have no recourse when a CAFO is sited nearby. These facilities produce an unbelievable stench which prevents people from opening their windows or being outside. Air quality is compromised for miles downwind, with increased rates of childhood and adult asthma as well irritant-linked eye and upper airway symptoms. Water quality is also affected: Iowa has had 728 documented CAFO spills since 1996, has 630 polluted waterways and Des Moines Water Works spent $1 million to clean up the Des Moines River from CAFO pollution. Land owners report significant reductions in their property values when located near, and depending on the wind, miles from CAFOs. Let’s learn from Iowa’s experience and exert some local control over our property and the quality of our lives. Just think how a hundred CAFOS would stink up Howard County. Our health ordinance does not prevent family farmers from raising animals in Howard County, but it provides common sense regulations to protect our air, water, and quality of life.

Janet and Gene Nuse

Fayette

To the Editor: While doing research on this health ordinance issue, I found out county passed ordinances not only restrict agriculture growth, they put a huge liability on the county. Scotland County has incurred six years of legal challenges and significant legal costs for over $100,000, which was paid by the county’s general revenue fund, aka paid by citizens’ tax dollars. The court ordered Scotland County to pay $178,566 in damages, which with interest accruals amounted to $192,118 from county treasury-also tax dollars. Because of the county’s interpretation and implementation of their restrictive agricultural ordinance, the county has incurred legal costs and a judgement against the county with a total that exceeds $300,000. Does Howard County have that amount of money to lose? Are the county commissioners trained on interpretation? Who enforces this restrictive ordinance? Are they trained? Just a few questions we need answers to before continuing this health ordinance. I will be voting NO.

Matt Freese

To the Editor: There are several misconceptions about the health ordinance, so here are some facts.

(1) The health ordinance will not prevent farmers from expanding their operations or passing their farm on to the next generation. The health ordinance will have no effect current farming operations in our county but it will protect farmers from the impacts of the mega out-of-state operations. These are not family farms but outside investors and their competition will increase pressure on family farms and make it more difficult to pass the farm to the next generation.

(2) The health ordinance will protect economic development. CAFOs decrease property values and might very well put an end to the recent spurt of home building that has added to the county tax base. No product from the CAFO is sales taxable for the county. Being a large corporate CAFO, it will have low cost sources for equipment, materials or feed. The large buildings are industrial factories but will be assessed as agricultural at the lowest tax rate. Other businesses and industry will not likely locate in Howard if there is a possibility of a mega CAFO being constructed ½ mile away. CAFOs are the true deterrent to economic development but our health ordinance will protect future economic opportunities in our county.

(3) DNR does not have sufficient rules to protect us. DNR has no authority over where and how the millions of gallons of exported liquid waste from a CAFO is land applied. DNR has no air quality standards for CAFOs under 17,500 hogs. There are no setback requirements between CAFOs and towns or populated areas. They are not even required to have a construction permit. We have to protect ourselves.

Please vote YES on Question 1 on August 7th.

Gene Bowen

Armstrong, Mo

To the Editor: We have spent the last 53 years and 2 generations building our farm just like many other independent family farmers in Howard County. Our farm is East of Armstrong and would be negatively impacted by the proposed 7,999 sow and hog CAFO that the third largest hog factory corporation in the U.S. wants to build North of Armstrong.

There are significant negative impacts on the property rights and values and the health of farmers and citizens who are near CAFOs. Studies have shown that properties can be devalued from 6.6% up to 88% depending on the distance from the CAFO and property attributes.

That devaluation of our farms and homes is the equity that we have built, and it is the same as having money stolen from your family. A lifetime of hard work and playing by the rules—gone! A form of corporate eminent domain.

If a Pipestone CAFO, with close ties to China, is allowed to come in, they will take our equity through devaluation, and, on top of that, we can’t even enjoy being outside because of the air pollution, smell, flies and noise.

Our property rights taken; our health and quality of life destroyed.

If we don’t vote YES on Question 1, this huge CAFO will be the first of many and all of Howard County will feel the negative impacts. People say it can’t happen here, but Iowa went from 722 CAFOs to over 10,000!

We as independent livestock producers, family farmers, small business owners and citizens value our property rights, clean water and air and economic opportunities for the future of our county. We ask you to join us in voting YES on Question 1 to keep our current health ordinance in place.

Roger Allison

Howard County livestock and grain farmer

Armstrong, MO

To the Editor: As a descendant of the agricultural settlers of Howard county an after attending some gathering sponsored by the “YES” supporters of the County Health Ordinance or “Question 1” on the August 7 ballot I feel that the voters of Howard County have been presented some mis-information to fuel to “railroading of the special interest group “Citizens for Howard County” to put this Health Ordinance in place.

First of all, we as tax payers have state regulatory agencies in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that we fund. These agencies are very involved in the regulation and enforcement of large concentrated feeding operations or CAFOs. If this ordinance were to pass the County would have to secure and fund an inspector who is qualified to perform and enforce such regulations. At one of the meetings I attended, presiding commissioner Stroupe commented the county had already been paying an individual named “Mike” that would perform such inspections. After some fact finding, it was discovered that “Mike” really isn’t qualified to perform such agricultural inspections and is getting an hourly pay of one and a half times of our county deputies who protect and serve the whole county putting their life in danger daily.

Second, I believe this group is focusing mainly on hog operations solely because most, if not all their information presented is on swine. One of their presenters that the brought into the CTC meeting who was supposed to be an authority only could state facts about pathogens emitted into the air from hog operations. When asked about poultry, horse or cattle, he could not answer. They also use the newly formed CAFO near Lone Jack, Mo. as an example of large corporate owned feeding operation. Yes it is a large operation, however it is solely family owned on a tract of 1200 acres owned by personal friends of mine, (three generations of this family area directly involved in this operation). There is also a large cattle feeding operation, solely family owned, just north of us at Huntsville that feeds well over 7,000 head in confinement, that has no opposition from the community.

I feel that this health ordinance should go back to the drawing board and be tweaked to define the large outside corporations who do not live in the county, because in today’s agriculture spectrum, if a large family wants to expand it is almost impossible with all the regulations, laws and ordinances. True livestock producers are stewards of the land and environment, as that is what makes their operations prosper.

Furthermore, if the whole county commission is on board, why are we not hearing from commissioners McMillan and Conrow?

Therefore, I am asking that all voters of Howard County vote “NO” on question 1 on August 7.

Sincerely, Fred Weiker

Concerned, involved Howard County Agriculturalist

To the Editor: Howard County is fortunate to have County Commissioners who listened to the citizens and responded by establishing a health ordinance in 2017 when Pipestone Systems attempted to locate a CAFO with nearly 7,900 sows in Howard County. Local farmers and citizens were immediately alarmed at the impact an operation of this nature would bring. What would happen with the millions of gallons of animal waste laden with pathogens, air pollution and dangerous gases released from barns, decomposing swine mortalities and more?

Cooper county is now faced with a similar operation which has the capacity to produce 8.6 million gallons of liquid waste and 245,000 lb. of dead hogs every year.

CAFOs are targeting Missouri because they say we don’t have the disease from concentrated animal facilities in surrounding states. Also, loopholes in state statutes allow large numbers of animals to be raised on just a few acres without following DNR guidelines for waste application standards to protect water or air quality. We repeatedly met with our commissioners regarding our very real concerns about the close proximity of the CAFO location to 38 neighbors, 20 wells and 10 natural springs. We had similar concerns as Howard County residents. However, our Commissioners refused to act to protect Cooper counties’ existing farmers and landowners. Now we are facing the reality that this CAFO can set up shop with no safeguards in place to protect our streams, drinking water, air quality or quality of life.

The Howard County health ordinance will be voted on August 7th. Please take notice of the gift your County Commissioners provided their citizens by protecting the clean water, air and quality of life in your county with a health ordinance. I hope you will vote YES to keep your health ordinance and to support your family farmers.

Susan Williams

Cooper County

To the Editor: Dear citizens of Howard County,

My family has been farming this land, raising dairy and beef cattle in this county for generations –a tradition I hope to continue. Unfortunately, the Health Ordinance that was passed by our Commissioners hinders my family’s ability to grow and be profitable in today’s demanding economy. We are ‘The Small Farmer’ but we’re not the same farmers of decades past, and we can’t afford to be. We have to innovate, expand and progress to feed the world and feed our families.

I want to be clear, I am just as concerned about our water and air quality as the next person however, this ordinance is overregulating an already heavily regulated industry. Proponents of the Health Ordinance would have you believe that the DNR does not regulate AFO’s or CAFO’s however, this is fake news. According to the Missouri DNR website; All CAFOs and AFOs, regardless of size, are subject to Missouri Revised Statute 644.051 which pertains to water contaminants that are likely to or have entered waters of the state and violated the general criteria for water quality standards in 10 CSR 20-7.031(3). In addition, all Class I CAFOs are required to comply with state regulations in 10 CSR 20-6.300 and 10 CSR 20-8.300, as well as federal regulations in 40 CFR 122 and 40 CFR 412, Subpart A through Subpart D. (https://dnr.mo.gov/pubs/pub2351.htm).

This county has a rich history of strong family farms, thus I urge you to vote NO on the Health Ordinance to keep my family farming!

-Cheyenne Cook

To the Editor: After reading the letters in opposition to the health ordinance, I find the numerous inaccuracies perplexing and disturbing.

Some people espouse that everyone who is in support of the health ordinance is an animal rights activist. The reality is that the people who support the health ordinance are farmers who believe in good stewardship of their land and their livestock.

Another letter tells us that “the State of Missouri takes seriously the protection of the waters of the state”.

Unfortunately, due to the power of corporate lobbyists, the DNR in Missouri and other states has turned a blind eye to CAFOs and the pollution they are causing in our water. Just last week on a local radio station, they talked about all the water pollution from the runoff from Iowa CAFOs .

We are accused of making the CAFOs out to be the “corporately owned boogeyman.”

They are far worse than the boogeyman. They are for real. And they leave damage in their path.

They say: “They bullied the commissioners into voting on a health ordinance against legal council.” The Presiding Commissioner has addressed the false nature of the legal part of this. As for bullying, I don’t believe a group of farmers, landowners and citizens gathering a petition and expressing their concerns to their elected representatives is bullying. It’s called democracy.

I was born and raised on a farm, worked like a field hand from the time I was nine and understand the pride that comes from working the land and producing food that feeds our friends, neighbors and folks we don’t even know.

There is no pride to be had in these CAFO operations, only dollar signs at the expense of others.

Please vote YES on Question 1 on August 7th to keep our Howard County Health Ordinance in place.

God Bless Howard County!

Vickie Gassman

To the Editor: Let’s talk poop. Poop is nutrients. Nutrients from animal feeding operations are used as fertilizer on crop and pasture land to meet crop’s nutrient demands. Using manure as fertilizer naturally provides the nutrients the growing crops need, while adding organic matter to the soil. Farmers benefit from a source of local, organic nutrients to apply as crop fertilizer.

Let’s talk poop regulations. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates all CAFOs. Science based regulations, established through an extensive process, regulates the operations of CAFOs and other permitted facilities. DNR analyzes each permit application to ensure that facilities meet all statutes and regulations.

DNR has staff dedicated and trained on permit review and writing, inspection and enforcement activities. If a permit experiences a spill, cleanup is required and the levied fine is sent to the local school district. Passing a county health ordinance creates a need for duplicative permitting, inspection and enforcement structures.

Modern confinement operations are environmentally friendly, managing nutrients while providing fertilizer to local crop production. Farms use technology and knowledge to efficiently manage the animal manure produced in a CAFO. Local farmers benefit from a local organic and sustainable fertilizer source for their operation. dnr.mo.gov/pubs/pub2351.htm.

Friends and neighbors I am making this appeal to you to vote NO on Question 1. I’m not making this appeal on emotions but on experience. I am an Agriculture lender who works with CAFOS in other counties. I have personally seen the economic benefit these CAFOS contribute. I’m currently the Chairman of the Howard County Soil and Water Conservation District and have been serving in this capacity for 10 year; I’ve worked closely with DNR and completely respect their knowledge and ability in oversight of the CAFOS in Missouri. At the heart off it, this is government overreach, regulation without representation.

Cody Martin

To the Editor: For those who think existing laws are sufficient for regulating Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), let me share my observations of how the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) enforces the rules.

As a former newspaper reporter for the Fayette Advertiser, I had a few opportunities to talk to DNR officials about alleged polluters in Howard County. Their modus operandi is: Step #1: Don’t interfere with business! Step #2: Educate the alleged polluter on existing laws. Step #3 Ask, “Please, pretty please, would you follow the rules? If alleged polluter does not comply, go back to Step #1.

My encounters with DNR were during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. I shudder to think what polluting is allowed now under the current administration.

I don’t trust DNR to enforce even existing laws, as lax as they are. We have to protect ourselves with local control.

Vote Yes on the Howard County Health Ordinance on Aug. 7th! For your health, for your children’s health!

Kim Thompson

Franklin, MO

To the Editor: Missouri agriculture provides 378,232 jobs and added $88.4 billion in net value to the state’s economy in 2016, making agriculture the largest sector of the economy. Farmers and agribusinesses are key contributors to our economy and the quality of life in our communities. “Health ordinances” can shut out business opportunities and make it more difficult for local farmers to bring in new opportunities for farm income. According to agricultural financiers, county ordinances restricting agriculture create business uncertainty, increasing financing risk, and ultimately financing costs for local producers.

Howard County also missed the opportunity to become an Agri-Ready County when the commissioners passed the “health ordinance.” This designation promotes and equips counties in creating an environment conducive to agriculture growth and innovation. Fifty counties, which follow state regulations for permitting agriculture have already become Agri-Ready Designated and are seeing results from promoting local agricultural economic development, literacy and stewardship. Please visit http://mofarmerscare.com/agri-ready/ for more information on this program. As an agricultural county, this is what we need to be seeking, not a “health ordinance” putting more restrictions on our number one industry.

Farmers and ranchers take the long view. We value good stewardship of the land and resources; operating our farm businesses to leave the land and animals in better shape than we began. Confined feeding operations provide efficiently produced, environmentally sustainable, affordable food year round. As the economic foundation of the county economy, it is in the best interest of the county that we do well and prosper for the long term. We must come together and vote NO on Question 1 to keep our families farming.

Sincerely,

Joyce Diehls

P.S. Missouri state law caps foreign ownerships of agricultural land at 1%. A “health ordinance” does not have anything to do with Chinese owning any component of Missouri agriculture.

J. Diehls

To the Editor: I am sorry to see such anger in the opposition to Question 1, keeping the current County Health Ordinance.

Who are the “radical animal rights activists” we keep hearing and reading about? The people who are asking for a continuation of the Health Ordinance are area residents and neighbors, most of them farmers or coming from farm families.

It makes me pause to wonder if those who are so opposed have actually read the ordinance. So I made sure to read the ordinance.

As the daughter of a life-long cattle farmer, I respect our Howard County farm families. My father, nor his brothers who also raised livestock would not have held 300 head (or more) of cattle on a piece of land the size of a football field for more than 45 days. I’m sure none of our current Howard County farmers do this either. 300 cattle, one acre, 45 days. That is the line in the ordinance that defines a CAFO, and from there establishes additional guidelines. If you are not classified as a CAFO, you are not affected.

How many farmers against Question 1 would welcome 7,000 to 9,000 hogs in an area the size of a football field (365 days a year) right next to their farms, cattle pastures and streams?

Where is there anything regulating those that crop farm in the Health Ordinance? All I found was repetition of DNR guidelines.

How many changes have farmers seen since the Health Ordinance was established? This is a vote to continue what was established last year, not something new. What have you had to change in the past year?

Opponents of Question 1 accuse supporters of bullying and scare tactics. Supporters are not attacking opponents, it seems almost the opposite. Supporters also want Howard County family farms to continue into the future. Hopefully both sides can calmly share their views with each other with mutual respect and not let this issue tear the county in two.

Before going to the polls and voting, for either side, please read through the Health Ordinance. If you have issues, take it to the commissioners, ask them to re-write, not abandon. The ordinance can be found at http//nmplanner.missouri.edu/regulations/mocountyrules/howardCounty

Barbara Jira

 

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