A bill that would let cities keep large hog farms at least two miles away from town received its first public comment at the statehouse today. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says the bill is needed to protect the state’s population centers, their quality of life and their property values.

Julie Anderson told lawmakers she and her neighbors are fighting a proposed 8,000-head hog confinement within two miles of the town of Malcolm. Anderson says it lies on a side hill near a major water source. Anderson says they’ve been fighting the confinement for two years. She says over a dozen people would be impacted.

"This hog confinement that’s wanting to go in now, is gonna be affecting 14 people within a one mile radius," Anderson says. She says some of the people have lung problems and some of the children have asthma in the area. The Iowa Farm Bureau opposes the bill, but there wasn’t anyone on hand to speak out against the bill at today’s legislative committee meeting.