HB 1931 -- Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Sponsor: Harris (23) Currently, the owner of a proposed concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) prior to acquiring a construction permit is required to notify all land owners within one and one-half times the specified buffer distance. This bill changes the requirement to within five times the required buffer distance. The Department of Agriculture is prohibited from issuing a permit for the construction of a proposed facility if a petition in opposition is filed prior to the final day for comment with the department or the county in which the proposed facility will be located. The petition must contain signatures of at least 5% of the registered voters of the smallest political subdivision classification in which the proposed facility is to be located or if the facility is to be located in an unincorporated area, the county in which the proposed facility is to be located. Upon receipt and verification of the signatures of a petition submitted as required, the governing body will submit to the voters at the next general election whether to deny issuance of a CAFO permit for a specific facility.Copyright (c) Missouri House of Representatives