This bill allows counties in Iowa to adopt a confinement feeding operations siting ordinance, which grants county boards of supervisors the authority to approve or disapprove the location of construction or expansion of confinement feeding operation structures with an animal unit capacity of 1,000 or more. The ordinance can impose conditions on the construction or operation of these structures and may establish greater separation distance requirements than those mandated by existing state law. Additionally, the bill clarifies that counties cannot enforce regulations on animal production, care, feeding, or housing unless explicitly authorized by state law, and it specifies that certain provisions do not apply if a county has adopted a siting ordinance.

Key amendments include the insertion of language that allows counties to regulate the siting of confinement feeding operations while also ensuring that existing state regulations are not undermined. The bill also modifies existing sections of the Iowa Code to clarify the applicability of county ordinances to agricultural land and structures, ensuring that counties cannot require applications or fees for ordinances to be deemed inapplicable to agricultural purposes. Overall, the bill aims to enhance local control over the siting and management of large confinement feeding operations while maintaining compliance with state regulations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 331.304A, 335.2, 459.202, 459.304