Confined Animal Feeding Operations Subject Of Senate Bill Under Consideration

The State Senate Agriculture Committee has heard testimony for and against a bill that would make changes to the state’s regulations on livestock businesses known as confined animal feeding operations. Scott Totten with the Department of Natural Resources worries this bill could undercut his agency’s authority to regulate such operations and give it to the Clean Water Commission. But Robert Brundage, a lawyer for the Missouri Pork Association, points out the Clean Water Commission already has most of the authority granted in this bill. Some farmers worry the changes would open the state up to bigger “factory farms,” while others say the bill is needed to keep Missouri farmers competitive.