Livingston County is one of about 10 counties in the state of Missouri that has a Health Ordinance that has tougher restrictions on CAFO’s, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, than the state of Missouri. On Thursday night, the Chillicothe Young Farmers had their meeting at the Litton Ag Center and had an open forum.
Representative Rusty Black talked a bit about Senate Bill 391 that was passed last year, signed by the Governor and went into effect in August. That bill does not allow counties to have Health Ordinance or regulations that are more strict than the DNR and other state agencies. Black said he voted to approve the bill when it came through the House.
Livingston County Presiding Commissioner Ed Douglas talked about the county’s Health Ordinance and that they are keeping it in place while another county is challenging 391 in the courts.
The forum continued with questions by area residents that are concerned about a possible CAFO operation in the northwest part of Livingston County and what the Cedar County lawsuit will mean depending on the decision.