Greitens praises help for concentrated animal feeding farms

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican Gov. Eric Greitens is praising Missouri's revamped Clean Water Commission for allowing two new concentrated animal feeding operations in the state.

Greitens in a Thursday statement said the state needs "more farms, more jobs and less government."

Neighbors worried about pollution, smell and other issues have been fighting RNR Farms in McDonald County and Trenton Farms in Grundy County for years. Previous clean water commissioners voted against the chicken and hog farms.

But Greitens last week appointed three new members to the board with agricultural ties. Days later, the commission voted to grant permits for the farms.

Missouri Democrats have been critical of the Clean Water Commission's membership switch-up. State party chairman Stephen Webber said Greitens stacked the board, and it makes "absolutely no sense."