A bill sponsored by Sen. Blake Johnson and Rep. DeAnn Vaught could make it harder for state agencies to prevent industrial hog farming in the Buffalo National River watershed. The bill, Senate Bill 290, has stalled in a legislative committee as sponsors negotiate key provisions. The bill would require state agencies to obtain legislative approval before implementing a moratorium on permits in a watershed, including the Buffalo River watershed. Johnson did not appear before the committee to present the bill, with negotiations ongoing behind closed doors with Governor Sarah Sanders. Opponents of the bill, including environmental groups like The Ozark Society and Sierra Club, are concerned that the legislation would lead to increased permitting of industrial hog farms, known as CAFOs, which have large pollution footprints. The Arkansas Farm Bureau, a supporter of the bill, stated that it does not allow for CAFOs within any watershed without regulatory approval and due process. The proposed legislation also requires reports on approved moratoriums every two years for review by legislative committees. Additionally, any existing moratorium related to the Buffalo National River watershed would need approval within 30 days of the bill becoming law to remain enforceable. Last year, the Arkansas Farm Bureau opposed regulations imposing a permanent moratorium on hog farming in the Buffalo River watershed, citing the “right to farm.” Arkansas currently has 776 CAFOs permitted through liquid animal waste disposal permits.
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