HF2367 a colossal waste of time, bad for Iowa water quality

Members are blasting Iowa House leadership on HF2367 – a factory farm de-regulation bill that would cut manure applicator annual training from 3 hours to 2 hours per year.HF2367 is on the House debate calendar for this week, but members say the bill is a waste of time and that the Iowa House should be strengthening public oversight and environmental protections, not watering them down any further.“This is a colossal waste of time that only erodes our environmental protections more, rather than doing what Iowa really needs which is to strengthen public oversight against the very real threat of factory farm pollution,” said Vern, a member from Adel who left his family farm in Carroll to escape the impact of being surrounded 30,000 hogs.HF2367 was proposed by Rep. Jarad Klein (R-Keota), who owns, or has an interest in, factory farms housing more than 16,000 hogs.  Klein’s manure applicator certification expired in 2011.Rep Curt Hanson (D-Fairfield) has introduced an amendment to the bill that still cuts training to two hours per year for renewals, after an initial three-hour certification.“Hanson’s amendment is lipstick on a pig,” member Vern continued.  “Manure applicators should be required to receive double or triple the amount of annual training required by law.  There’s no question our waterways need better protection from manure spills.”