New Iowa law limits livestock nuisance lawsuits.
PROTECTION: The 2017 Iowa Legislature in March passed a bill limiting the amount of damages awarded in a lawsuits against livestock producers.
Legal Issues: Governor signs bill capping damages that livestock producers would face in nuisance lawsuits.
Terry Branstad on March 29 signed legislation into law limiting the amount of damages awarded in livestock nuisance lawsuits.
The new law is needed, he said, “because nuisance lawsuits are increasing and creating instability in the livestock industry, a very important part of Iowa’s economy.” The bill states that the purpose of the legislation is to encourage those involved in animal agriculture to adopt prudent and generally used management practices for their animal feeding operations.
The Responsible Farm Protection Bill, Senate File 447, establishes a section in Iowa Code to provide nuisance protection to responsible livestock farmers.
Qualifying for nuisance protection To qualify for the nuisance protection, a livestock farmer must comply with state and federal law and use existing prudent management practices reasonable for the operation.
The landowner installing the cattle guard must own the property on both sides.
• House File 443/Senate File 357 was signed into law by the governor on March 23.
This bill deems that the law on electrical licensing not be applicable to a person performing any installation on a farm, if the person is associated with the farm as an owner, a relative or employee of the owner, or an operation or manager of the farm.