Dear Editor:
Missouri lawmakers enacted our state's Sunshine Law more than 40 years ago to ensure that our government operates in an open and transparent manner. Since then, this law has played a significant role in protecting public health and well-being.
But now, agribusiness lobbyists are trying to carve out an exemption that would limit public disclosure of information related to farm programs. Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed the legislation creating the exemption in July. On Wednesday, the General Assembly will convene for a veto session and will attempt to override Gov. Nixon's veto of this vague and poorly conceived legislation.
If legislators vote for the veto override, Missourians would largely be left in the dark about how their tax dollars are being spent when it comes to voluntary agriculture programs, such as soil and water conservation grants. If HB 1414 becomes law, we may never know the impact of factory farms on the environment, animals and public health. We know from past experience that industrializing agriculture has led to polluted waterways, air and soil; has driven thousands of farmers off the land; and has ruined our rural economies. Why is the Missouri Legislature trying to protect an industry that has had such devastating impacts on its citizens?
HB 1414 blocks public disclosure of undefined categories of information and weakens the state's Sunshine Law. It is troubling that the General Assembly would attempt to block the public from having access to information about taxpayer-funded programs. It is even more troubling that the disclosure exemption applies to information collected from agriculture programs that involve public grants.
Missouri taxpayers have a right to know how factory farms are using public resources and taxpayer dollars. The misleading "right to farm" amendment that voters narrowly passed in 2014 gave industrialized agriculture virtual immunity from future regulation. If they have that much power to do as they please, we should at least make sure they don't take away our ability to know whether they are complying with the minimal regulation that applies to these highly profitable industries.
The General Assembly should do the right thing by Missouri's citizens and sustain the governor's veto of this ill-conceived legislation.