A bill in Missouri that would eliminate local regulation of CAFOs has passed in the state Senate and House and is headed to the desk of Gov. Mike Parson, who is expected to sign it into law. The legislation, Senate Bill 391, is opposed by small-farm and environmental groups, which say it favors the interests of the largest livestock farms while exposing communities to greater health and environmental risks.
The bill is supported by agribusiness groups across the state. After the House passed the bill on May 14, the Missouri Farm Bureau, the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, the Missouri Pork Association, the Missouri Soybean Association, the Missouri Corn Growers Association, and the Missouri Agribusiness Association released a joint statement applauding the vote: “Missouri farms should be governed by science-based rules and expert oversight, not reactionary fear-mongering. The uniform regulations required by SB 391 will provide certainty to farmers and ranchers in every corner of our state.”
Twenty counties in Missouri have passed ordinances that require CAFOs, or concentrated animal feeding operations, to exceed the state’s regulatory standards for environmental and/or health protections. Some require CAFOs to store or spray manure farther away from people’s homes; others require permits for even small CAFOs. Some of the ordinances have been in place for more than two decades.
SB 391 would strike down existing regulations that are “more stringent” than state or federal regulations. It would also prohibit counties and health boards from passing such regulations in the future.
Opponents of the legislation say it will expose communities to greater environmental and health risks, and that existing regulations don’t go far enough in protecting residents from air and water pollution associated with large-scale livestock production. All but the largest CAFOs in Missouri are exempt from any regulation of their air emissions, and existing state regulations require a buffer of just 50 feet between manure spreading and residents’ homes.
The bill passed in the House 103-44. It previously passed in the Senate 23-11 on May 2. Missouri’s legislative session ends May 17.