Dive Brief:
- Voters in Missouri today are voting on whether or not to amend the state constitution to guarantee the right to “engage in farming and ranching practices.”
- The proposal, which supporters say is aimed at protecting farmers from onerous regulations, but which opponents say is aimed at shielding giant agribusiness from oversight, has split the state.
- The battle over the proposed amendment is similar to the fight two years ago in Missouri over a proposed ag-gag law that would have made it a crime to take undercover videos of animal abuse.
Dive Insight:
As one of the leading agricultural states in the U.S., Missouri's "right to farm" proposal is garnering notice from all corners of the industry. While the implications of such amendment are unclear, many are saying that, if passed, it could be a precedent for other states looking to create laws to limit new regulations for farming.
