Howard County Commission votes to pass health ordinance

The Howard County Commission around 11:30 a.m. Monday, voted unanimously to pass a health ordinance that would limit the number of animals within a certain distance of existing homes.

The ordinance was drafted after commissioners found out that a concentrated animal feeding operation, or CAFO, proposed to build a hog farm in the county.

The room was full of local residents, farmers, University of Missouri researchers and a veterinarian who works with the CAFO.

The majority of the people in the room wanted the health ordinance to pass, and even clapped after the commissioners voted.

Heather Conrow, a livestock specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, said the health ordinance could pose problems for local producers.

She said some of the regulations in the ordinance are more strict than the regulations under the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Joe Hardy, a Howard County resident, said the health ordinance would protect local farmers from CAFOs moving in.

The Howard County Commission plans to ask the county to keep the health ordinance by adding it to the ballot in August 2018.