House passes farming bill
PENNSYLVANIA — House lawmakers passed legislation Thursday to require odor controls for new large-scale farming operations and to establish state review of disputes over local farming ordinances.The legislation, passed 131-65, is an initiative of Gov. Ed Rendell that has been shaped by compromise in recent days. The legislation goes to the Senate where action isn’t likely until the fall at the earliest.
Reps. Merle Phillips, R-108 of RD2 Sunbury; Russell Fairchild, R-85 of Lewisburg; Robert Belfanti, D-107 of Mount Carmel; and Adam Harris, R-82 of Mifflintown, voted for the bill.
The legislation would require owners of new or expanded large-scale animal breeding farms, also known as CAFOs or concentrated animal feeding operations, to take steps to reduce odors. Operations at existing large-scale farms would be grandfathered from having to meet the requirement.
If the bill becomes law, Pennsylvania would become one of the first states to require large animal-breeding farms to deal with odor problems.
Source: The Daily Item
1 July 2005
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