For a generation or more, Nebraska has banned corporate farming as a way to protect small operators, says Harvest Public Media, and now the Cornhusker State is “at the center of a debate that gets to the core of what it means to be a farmer.” State Sen. Ken Schilz has filed a bill to allow packer ownership of hogs. He says if farmers have the option of raising hogs on contract for meatpackers, it would be an additional way to earn a living and it might lead to more farms and a more vibrant livestock industry. On the other side of the argument, the Center for Rural Affairs says the ban prevents meat companies from dominating the hog industry in the way that vertical integration has transformed poultry farming.
The bill on hog ownership is one of a handful pending in the legislature to revamp livestock regulations. One would standardize county zoning processes and create a state board to review sites rejected by counties, says Harvest Public Media. A third bill would create economic incentives for livestock operations.