New legislation targets corporate U.S. farms

A Democratic presidential hopeful has introduced legislation designed to increase competitiveness for family farmers when compared to large, corporate operations. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker unveiled the Farm System Reform Act of 2019 on Monday. The bill outlines multiple changes for large, corporately owned farms while also acknowledging public concerns. Among the act’s changes is to “place an immediate moratorium on new and expanding large CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) and phase out by 2040 the largest CAFOs as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency.” Booker’s bill outlines the parameters for CAFOs. Operations with 700 mature dairy cows, 1,000 beef cattle, 82,000 laying hens or 55,000 turkeys are among those that would fall under the bill’s definitions. “We need to fix the broken system – that means protecting family farmers and ranchers and holding corporate integrators responsible for the harm they are causing,” Booker said in a statement Monday. “Large factory farms are harmful to rural communities, public health, and the environment and we must immediately begin to transition to a more sustainable and humane system.” In addition, the bill would allocate federal dollars for a voluntary buyout program. The act plans to set aside US$100 billion over 10 years for owners of animal feeding operations looking to transition to other activities on the property. “Funds could be used to fully pay off outstanding debt incurred to construct and operate an AFO or to cover transition costs for alternative agriculture activities…,” the bill says...MORE

phase out by 2040 the largest CAFOs...700 mature dairy cows...

The average dairy farm in NM has 2,485 cows, more than 3 times as large as that allowed in this legislation