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Iowa legislators pass new ‘farm trespass’ bill

The Iowa legislature has passed a bill creating a trespass charge for anyone using deception to gain access to a farm with intent to cause physical or economic harm.

The legislation is designed to replace Iowa’s previous “ag gag” law, which a judge ruled unconstitutional, saying it violated free-speech rights of undercover investigators. That ruling is on appeal.

Representative Jarad Klein said the new bill is more narrowly focused and designed to stop those who would cause financial harm to a farming operation.

“People who lie to get a job, whose intent is to cause harm not just on social media, but in the biosecurity and the life and health of livestock,” Klein said.

But Representative Liz Bennett said the new bill still seeks to silence whistleblowers and consumer advocates. “Criminalizing whistleblowing shows an absolute contempt for concerned consumers and a fundamental insecurity over the product and methods used,” Bennett said.

State Senator Ken Rozenboom said the biosecurity concern is real.

“Those of us in animal agriculture lose sleep over the thought of certain foreign animal diseases that could devastate our farms and bring Iowa to its knees—or, maybe, put Iowa flat on its back,” Rozenboom said. “The need for managing strict biosecurity practices is a critical component of this bill.”

Governor Kim Reynolds has indicated she will sign the bill.

Radio Iowa contributed to this story.

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