Iowa House Agriculture Committee Sides with Factory Farm Industry, Champions False Climate Solutions

Des Moines, IA -- This week, two critical pieces of legislation were assigned to the Iowa House Agriculture Committee, each with clear implications for Iowa’s agriculture sector and climate change. The first, House File 287, expands the use of biogas digesters, which use animal waste from factory farms to produce dirty methane gas, a known contributor to climate change. This bill, which would further entrench factory farms in the state’s energy matrix, has already been assigned and passed out of a sub-committee, demonstrating a commitment to its passage. The second, House File 440, would establish a moratorium on factory farms in the state, addressing rising concerns about Iowa’s water quality, the proliferation of factory farms across the state and the climate crisis. This bill has seen no action.

In response, Food & Water Watch Iowa Organizer Emma Schmit issued the following statement:

“Ross Paustian and the House Agriculture Committee have the opportunity and authority to decide how Iowa’s agriculture sector responds to climate change. By pursuing the passage of this bill to expand biogas, these legislators are promoting false climate solutions to make factory farms seem sustainable. More biogas digesters will only further entrench factory farms in our state, ruining our economies and community life while polluting our environment with dangerous methane gas. We call on Rep. Paustian to stop doing Big Ag’s bidding, assign House File 440 to subcommittee and give the factory farm moratorium a fair hearing.”

Contact: Phoebe Galt – 207-400-1275, [email protected]