Dear Governor Parson,

My name is Carolyn West. I live in Cedar County. I feel we citizens of Missouri are shooting ourselves in the foot by subsidizing factory farms (CAFOs) to the detriment of family farms and farming communities. The hog CAFOs allow meat production levels to rise and he number of agricultural workers to decrease. Huge hog farming operations pollute our air, water, and soil.

U.S. Government guaranteed loans set up the CAFOs. Many are owned by China and Brazil. When they have to be closed down because the lagoons are not stable or other reasons, our taxpayer money is again used. The U.S. Government had to spend $750,00 to get rid of the lagoon after spending $1,500,000 to buy the property of a defunct CAFO. Also many CAFOs export the hog carcasses to be processed in their country.

Our Cedar County Commissioners are suing you and others, Governor Parson, to have local control of our natural resources. They are farmers and want to protect the property rights of all citizens as well as our local resources.

Governor Parson, didn’t you rear your children on a family farm? Our young people wont have the same privilege to give their kids the values of character building life on the farm, enjoyment of fresh air, clean water, and good soil as you had. Making a living on a farm is hard work, and we should be helping those people willing to do it rather than giving so much support to corporate farms, many foreign owned.

To insure the death of family farms, HB1583 and SB699 are coming to a vote in the legislature to prohibit county commissioners and county health boards from inspecting CAFOs to enforce county health ordinances in response to citizen complaints. Citizens, please call the Governors office 573-751-3222

Representative 573-751-4065

Senator 573-751-8793

(Please call your own districts if not in Cedar County) and tell the Sb391 and the other bills are unconstitutional and to quit favoring CAFOs against the family farm.

Also Family Farms, not Factory Farm Lobby Day

Tuesday, Feb. 11,  10-2, State Capitol Jefferson City

Tuesday, March 17, 10-2, State Capitol Jefferson City.

Sincerely,

Carolyn West