Something really important is happening in Missouri.

Farm Aid’s partner organization, the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, has alerted us to a series of controversial state bills that seek to protect a few factory farms at the expense of countless family farmers and rural landowners. These reckless bills are moving quickly through the Missouri statehouse and, if passed, would have a radical and damaging effect on the property rights of Missouri’s citizens.

Senate Bill 187 & House Bill 209 – written to protect Premium Standard Farms (owned by Smithfield Foods, the largest pork corporation in the world) – have passed their respective chambers and differences between the bills are now being resolved. These misguided and dangerous bills would limit the constitutional rights of family farmers and landowners to use the court system to defend their property values against factory farm pollution.

Furthermore, three additional measures are being considered in the House – House Bill 100, House Joint Resolution 3 & House Joint Resolution 17. These would restrict the ability of local elected representatives to respond to the needs of their citizens through “local control” over what kind of livestock development occurs in their communities.

Out of Missouri’s 100,000+ farming operations, less than one-percent are regulated as factory farms, but their ability to pollute is enormous. These bills are a deceitful attempt to hurt the majority of Missouri’s independent family farms in order to benefit just a few corporate, factory farms.

Hundreds of phone calls and emails are making a difference, but the bills are still moving through the statehouse and need to be stopped. If you live in Missouri, please call state legislators TODAY. Tell them to stand up for family farmers, not factory farms: Vote NO on Senate Bill 187, House Bill 209, House Bill 100, House Joint Resolution 3 and House Joint Resolution 17.

• You can call your State Representative by calling the House Switchboard at (573) 751-2000 with your zip code. Find your State Senator’s number by visiting this page.
• Also, please contact Governor Nixon by calling (573) 751-3222 or send an email by visiting this page. Tell him to veto any bill (including SB 187, HB 209, HJR 3, HJR 17 & HB 100) that limits the rights of family farmers and rural landowners to protect their property through the court system or restricts the ability of local elected representatives to respond to the needs of their citizens through local control.

If you don’t live in Missouri, please forward this post to any friends and family you know there.

Thank you for taking the time to stand up for Missouri’s family farmers. We’re glad to be about to count on you to take action for family farmers where you live.