Indiana bill would require state to favor farmers in legal conflicts

Controversy is brewing in Indiana over a Senate bill facing action in the House. The bill is designed to protect farmers, but critics say it could open the door for safety concerns, Erica Zazo reports for the Great Lakes Echo, a service of the Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University. The bill "would require Indiana law to favor farmers during legal cases and protect farmers who use 'generally accepted farming and livestock production practices' from getting sued." Critics "say these 'generally accepted practices' can lead to the pollution of waterways with pathogens and E. coli, food safety problems related to antibiotic and growth hormone use, animal cruelty, odor and air pollution."

Sen. Carlin Yoder

The bill's author, Sen. Carlin Yoder (R-Middlebury), told Zazo, “It’s just a simple paragraph that says that we will continue to protect the rights of farmers." Indiana Farm Bureau lobbyist Amy Cornell said the bill will "also focus on producing quality food for all Hoosiers and an overall strengthened economy by protecting the rights for farmers to continue growing their business."

Groups such as the Humane Society of the U.S. and the Hoosier Environmental Action Council oppose the bill. Kim Ferraro, water and agriculture policy director and staff attorney for the council, said the bill could create conflicts between homeowners and farmers, reducing the value of homes. The bill easily passed the Senate on Jan. 23 by a vote of 40-8 and is now in the House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. (Read more)