Legislature approves bill limiting livestock lawsuits

The Iowa Legislature approved a bill Wednesday that caps some damages associated with "nuisance" livestock lawsuits. The bill's floor manager, Rep. Chip Baltimore, R-Boone, said Senate File 447 would reward the good actors by limiting the risk that comes with running farms and animal feeding operations. The limits on lawsuit, which include a cap on some damages, wouldn't apply to habitual offenders or to farms that violate environmental regulations. “This is an agricultural state," Baltimore said. "And we want to foster a healthy agricultural environment so our kids and grandkids can come back and continue the legacy of agriculture. That’s exactly what this bill does.”