Posted July 2, 2015
The
Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that state’s so-called Right To Farm amendment
remains constitutional, according to a KBLA article available here.
The Missouri Times also published an article available here
and Columbia Daily Tribune here.
The Right
to Farm amendment is intended to protect Missouri farmers from new laws that
would change current farm practices. It was added to the state Constitution in
August 2014 by a slim margin of votes.
Some critics,
including many small farmers and animal rights groups, claim the ballot
language was misleading to voters and opens the door for foreign corporations
to exploit Missouri farmland.
The court
also ruled that residents could challenge ballot language after an election, which
could lead to questionable summaries being disputed in later cases, according
to the Columbia
Tribune.
Agricultural
groups applauded the court’s opinion, calling the case “desperate,” according
to the Missouri
Times.
“We are
pleased the Missouri Supreme Court ruled in favor of upholding the election
results for Amendment #1, the Missouri Farming Rights Amendment, approved last
August,” said Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst. “This was a desperate
attempt by the opponents to thwart the will of a majority of Missouri voters by
retrospectively claiming the ballot language was inadequate. As
Missourians we now have in our state constitution a much needed protection for
the right of consumers to have adequate and affordable food choices and the
right of farmers and ranchers to produce that food safely and humanely.”
Missouri
was the second state to add the right to farm to its Constitution – North
Dakota was first. Several Midwest states have been playing with similar
amendments or laws, according to KBIA.
The
Court’s decision is available here.
The
briefs, summary of the briefs and oral argument audio file are available here.
For more information on Right to Farm laws and for a
compilation of states’ Right to Farm statutes, please visit the National
Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
