The President of the Iowa Farm Bureau says a state ruling on public notice for proposed livestock facilities is in effect creating a moratorium on building any new units yet this year. The Attorney General ruled that counties must give public notice and 30-days for citizens to comment when an application is made for a new livestock construction permit. The D-N-R has put a hold on about 30 proposed facilities while the counties comply with the ruling. Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Lang of Brooklyn says that’s unfair. Lang says some of the livestock operators submitted their applications to the D-N-R way back in August, and now have to wait another 30 days for construction permits. Lang says these facilities have been in the planning stages for months and they’re not trying tp push something through without careful consideration. He says the Farm Bureau believes everything is being done right, and it’s just a matter of how the public notification rule was interpreted by the Attorney General. Lang says the Farm Bureau feels farmers are being penalized for the mistakes of county officials. Lang says the only option is probably getting a change in the A-G’s ruling. Lang was asked if politics played a role in the notification rule mixup, as livestock lots have been an issue in the campaign for Governor. Lang says politics seems to play a role in every issue in Iowa today. Lang says he won’t go so far as to say politics is playing a role, but does say he doesn’t think anything will be done until after the election. Lang says the Iowa Farm Bureau will try to focus on clearing the issue up so producers can put up buildings yet this year.
