Attorney general files appeal of Arrow Rock hog farm ruling

Friday, October 30, 2009
By ERIC CRUMP/Editor

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster has filed an appeal of a court ruling that blocked a proposed hog farm from locating near Arrow Rock by establishing buffer zones around state parks and historic sites, according to an Associated Press report filed Thursday, Oct. 30.

Cole County Judge Patricia Joyce ruled in August 2008 that a concentrated animal feeding operation could not be within 15 miles of the historic mid-Missouri village.

Farmers and agriculture organizations cried foul, saying the ruling would effectively put Missouri livestock producers out of business. Later, Joyce narrowed the buffer to two miles.

Existing farms in that radius were barred from expanding.

Koster, a Democrat, said Thursday he supports "expanded buffer zones" between the farms and state parks, waterways and historic sites. But he says Joyce's ruling raises questions about how to create the buffer zones. The appeal was filed Wednesday.

The Missouri Farm Bureau also has appealed. Environmentalists had urged state officials not to appeal Joyce's ruling.

The controversy in Arrow Rock centers around a hog operation that was never built.

Early in 2007, a group of Arrow Rock officials and residents began a campaign to oppose a confined animal feeding operation proposed by Arrow Rock farmer Dennis Gessling. Gessling planned to build a new facility with the capacity to house up to 4,800 hogs about two miles from Arrow Rock.

Gessling met state criteria for such a facility, so DNR issued him a permit Aug. 31, 2007.

In October 2007, three groups opposing Gessling's operation -- Friends of Arrow Rock, the Missouri Parks Association and the village of Arrow Rock -- together filed suit against DNR and its director at the time, Doyle Childers, in an effort to block construction of the facility.

Although Gessling never started construction work, the legal battles provoked by his plans continue with Koster joining the fray.

Information from Associated Press reports is included in this story.

Contact Eric Crump at marshalleditor@socket.net

Related stories:
DNR files appeal with higher court in Arrow Rock CAFO suit:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1488190.html
Missouri Farm Bureau files appeal in Arrow Rock CAFO suit:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1487098.html
Judge amends Arrow Rock CAFO ruling:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1484701.html
Gesslings weather tumultuous CAFO controversy:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1458831.html
Farmer at heart of CAFO controvery lives dream of raising hogs:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1458429.html
Nervous neighors: CAFOs and state parks:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1456604.html
Farmers decry anti-CAFO ruling: 'We're basically out of business':
www.marshallnews.com/story/1456205.html
Judge rules in favor of Arrow Rock CAFO opponents:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1455898.html
CAFO opponents file suit against DNR, Childers:
www.marshallnews.com/story/1284032.html

Comments

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Workingmom,

What do you call all the people that live with-in that 2 mile's of the site?

They have rights also!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by Gal66 on Mon, Nov 2, 2009, at 1:45 PM

woo- hoo someone finally stands up for the little man

-- Posted by workingmom on Mon, Nov 2, 2009, at 8:22 AM