Petition to Stop Concentrated Animal Feeding Gets Pushback

A petition is going around attempting to stop concentrated animal feeding operations in the state.

The petition organized by Change.org petition is aimed at being a conversation starter for others who might oppose Lincoln Premium Poultry and Costco’s facilities across the state.

Lincoln Premium Poultry wants to build chicken barns on the Saunders-Lancaster County line, capable of holding up to 380,000 birds. Lancaster County’s most recently proposed chicken farm is at Northwest 27th and Ashland Road. After two delays, a City-County Planning Commission public hearing on that proposed chicken farm is set for October 2nd.

Governor Pete Ricketts said that the petition is from a radical group attempting to end all livestock production around the world.

“Let’s be clear: The out-of-state environmental lobbying groups rallying opposition against our family farmers in Nebraska are anti-agriculture,” said Governor Ricketts. “Left unchecked, they would destroy our way of life. This attempt to stop livestock development in Nebraska is a part of the ‘meat is murder’ movement led by radical groups who want to end livestock production around the globe.” Ricketts also said that Nebraskans need to work together to protect family farmers.

Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Wellman said that as director, he supports all aspects of Nebraska agriculture and it’s farmers and ranchers, adding “CAFO’s are well thought out and planned operations across Nebraska with plans that work to address environmental impacts, nutrient management and animal health to efficiently deliver a high quality, safe food supply.”

Spokesman for the Nebraska Farm Bureau said that “Livestock farming is part of the heritage and fabric of Nebraska and a critical part of Nebraska agriculture. Enacting a statewide moratorium to stop new livestock farms would be the equivalent of halting the growth of rural Nebraska,” and that if enacted, it would be a disservice to Nebraska farmers and ranchers.