Farmers must constantly be on guard against misinformation and advocate for their industry. However, on Tuesday, a Federal judge struck down a 2012 Iowa law was designed to protect farmers from having activist groups plant employees into facilities under false pretenses. Many times, these embedded individuals were using their access to produce material slanted against a specific operation or the industry as a whole.
Drew Mogler of the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) says they were disappointed in the decision of the Federal judge. They feel the judge did not understand the intent of the law the way it was written. The court struck down the law for what it saw as blocking the constitutional rights of the activist groups.
Mogler says producers will continue to be mindful of the welfare of their animals and employees, and the industry will work together to protect producers from those who seek to do destroy the industry.
Mogler says this law was never meant to give producers a place to hide. It was meant to protect producers from biased attacks and from risks to biosecurity.
The next step would be to appeal, which is up to Governor Reynolds and Attorney General Tom Miller.
Audio: Full Interview with Drew Mogler of Iowa Pork Producers Association
