The just-adopted constitutional amendment guaranteeing a “right to farm” in Missouri is under challenge before the state Supreme Court. The amendment was approved by voters in August by a 2,375-vote margin out of nearly 1 million cast. The lawsuit says the amendment should be voided because the ballot summary presented to voters was inaccurate, says the Associated Press. The summary said the rights of Missouri citizens to engage in agriculture would be ensured. The lawsuit says the amendment applies to any farmer or rancher, including a foreign-owned corporation, says AP.
The three groups behind the lawsuit say the amendment also “opens the door for extensive foreign ownership of farmland,” says Missourinet. Filing suit were Missouri’s Food for America, Missouri Rural Crisis Center and Missouri Farmers Union. Says Missourinet, “President Wes Shoemyer with Missouri’s Food for America says the amendment actually refers to “farmers and ranchers,” and that means ‘non-citizens’ such as the Chinese company that bought Smithfield Foods.”