Barry County, CAFO's and Ozbun Farms, Part 3

The Joplin Globe reported Friday, March 2, 2007 about the experiences of Missouri citizens at the Senate Agriculture, Conservation, Parks and Natural Resources Committee, wanting to speak against SB 364. Representatives of a group called, Friends of Roaring River, said supporters of the bill were given preferential treatment compared with the treatment afforded opponents of the bill. Jim Riedel, a member of the group said “They let everyone who supported the bill have their say, and then, when it was our turn, they cut us off. We never had an opportunity. We are fighting for local control, and the way we were treated is a good example of why we need local control. We had no representation. You could just see that the small person was getting run over. The whole procedure was disappointing.”

State grants permit for 65,000-chicken CAFO, The Joplin Globe reported, Saturday, March 3, 2007, that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) approved Ozbun Farms' construction permit to build a 65,000 chicken CAFO a half-mile from Roraring River (Barry County). Opponents say they plan to appeal. They also plan to continue pursuit of a health ordinance in Barry County that will give local officials more control over where future CAFOs would be permitted to locate. Sixteen other Missouri counties have adopted such ordinances.

Groups propose 'halo' buffer zones Mike Penprase, Springfield News Leader, describes the controversy, across Missouri, surrounding CAFO's and State Parks, State Historic Sites and sites on the National Register of Historic Places. [Click on map to enlarge]