Support Local Control of Our Resources

Editor:

Your way of life in Cedar County, in Missouri, in the United States is going to change drastically sooner or later if we don’t do something about cafos, concentrated animal feeding operations. Cafos have been affecting some of us who live in the country for years, polluting the water, air and soil. But the rest of us, even town dwellers, can be affected by more cafos coming in, loss of jobs, foreclosures on farms and whole town disappearing because of economic ruin. Thankfully, our Cedar County Commissioners have understood this threat and been trying to fight it for years. But many other counties and government official and citizens have ignored the threat. Our county commissioners are suing the governor to declare Senate Bill 391 unconstitutional because it takes away local control of our farmland.

Our commissioners aren’t against cafos per se; they just want commonsense limits.

Part of Murphy Farms has been recently bought by Smithfield Foods, which produces one out of four hogs in the United States. Smithfield is now owned by China. So their operation will probably expand.

Chris McGreal wrote an article March 9, 2019 “How America’s Food Giant Swallowed the Family Farms.” He says that the corporation game the system by obtaining low interest, federally guaranteed loans to build cafos that then overproduce, so the price stays low, sometimes below the cost of production. That kicks their competition out of the market. Then they become the only player in town.

Please be informed about cafos and call your elected representatives and let them know you don’t want your way of life to change; you support our county commissioners.

Governor Mike Parson – 573/751-3222; State Rep. Warren Love – 573/751-4065 and State Senator Sandy Crawford – 573/751-8793.

Carolyn West