Give CAFOs the Boot

Today's The Joplin Globe OPED, In Our View is titled Give CAFOs the Boot. One can’t wander too far around Southwest Missouri before discovering that factory farms have overplayed their hand at the expense of neighbors’ property values, our environment and quality of life.

(Missouri) House Bill 909, meanwhile, would prohibit CAFOs near state parks and historic sites by setting up a five-mile buffer. Arrow Rock and the Battle of Athens state historic sites already are threatened by hog CAFOs, and a 65,600 chicken CAFO already is operating not far from Roaring River State Park.

Other states have moved to protect their crown jewels — Oklahoma has 3-mile buffer around state parks for hog farms, for example. California put a 2.5-mile collar around one of its historic sites and some Indiana legislators want to keep CAFOs at least one mile from all schools, hospitals and daycare centers. That puts CAFOs in the same lineup as drug dealers and child molesters, by the way.

In point of fact, we think the time has come for a moratorium on all CAFOs in Missouri. Until then, we'll win the ground where we can.