Judge rules in favor of opponents of Missouri hog farm

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A judge has ruled in favor of a group of people attempting to stop a large hog operation in Callaway County.

Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green sided Wednesday with Friends of Responsible Agriculture, who had cited a state law that requires a four-person majority of the Missouri Clean Water Commission had to approve Callaway Farrowing LLC to construct the animal feeding operation on 20 acres near Kingdom City.

The commission had approved the hog farm by a 3-2 vote because two of the seven commissioners were banned in July 2016 from discussing and voting on the matter after an unauthorized visit to the proposed site, the Columbia Missourian reported.

The operation was first proposed in May 2014, and would have been operated by Eichelberger Farms of Wayland, Iowa.

Jeff Jones of Friends of Responsible Agriculture said he hopes this is the end of the legal battle.

"It shows when the community unites, great things can happen," Jones said. "I am grateful for the decision that the judge had made."

Information from: Columbia Missourian, http://www.columbiamissourian.com