Voters in mid-Missouri’s Howard County decide Tuesday whether to retain a health ordinance putting animal headcount and manure handling restrictions on massive animal feeding operations known as CAFOS (concentrated animal feeding operations).
concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)
Howard County Presiding Commissioner Sam Stroupe say the ordinance on the ballot imposes restrictions beyond those from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. “That would perhaps dissuade some very large hog operations from coming into the county,” said Stroupe.
Howard County cattle producer Steve Diehls contends the ordinance prevents families from expanding livestock operations to support succeeding generations. “There’s several of them around now that would like to expand to bring in more family members,” said Diehls. “And if this goes into effect it won’t be financially feasible for them to do it.”
Diehls says agriculture is the number one resource in his county and he’d like to have it designated as friendly to farm business. “I would hope that this thing gets voted down and we can become an Agri-Ready County and promote agriculture in this county.”
The county election concerning the ordinance is part of Tuesday’s 2018 mid-term primary election in Missouri.
Tom Steever of Missourinet sister network Brownfield contributed this story
