Guernsey Bill on Manure Lawsuits Goes to Governor's Desk

Missouri's House passed a bill that would protect farmers and CAFO's from repeatedly getting sued over the smell of animal manure. Rep. Casey Guernsey, R-Bethany, sponsored the bill and said this bill helps to protect the rights of farmers and Missouri's agriculture industry. He said this is legislation Missouri needs to preserve the industry. "If we don't fix this problem, we aren't going to have the ag industry in this state," Guernsey said. Another supporter of the bill, Rep. Chris Molendorp, R-Cass County, said this bill allows some of Missouri's counties to take care of nuisances. Opponents to the bill, such as Rep. Mike Colona, D-St. Louis, said the bill doesn't acknowledge the property value decrease when a farm moves next door. "So that I am to believe that if a big hog farm moves next to me, where morning, noon and night I don't have that great smell of bacon, as the gentlemen from that side of the aisle said the other day ... I have the smell of hog manure, that will not affect the value of my property?" he asked. The bill will go to the governor next to sign into law or veto.