Corporate Farming Fight is Not Over

LB 1174 would have replaced Initiative 300, which was struck down in federal court 25 years after Nebraskans enacted the corporate farming ban. Opponents defeated the crucial LB 1174 amendment by a vote of 27 to 20, dooming the entire bill for this year.  Senator Cap Dierks subsequently pulled the bill from the floor.

Nebraskans understand the importance of family farms and ranches, however, and they understand that non-farm investors must not be allowed to use corporate entities to evade accountability and community responsibility.  Even in defeat, the efforts of many Nebraskans made a real difference.  They put the legislature on notice – the issue of corporate farming and the future of rural Nebraska cannot be ignored.

Senator Dierks demonstrated true leadership in sponsoring this bill. Seven Agriculture Committee members voted for LB 1174 and six of them co-sponsored the bill. They showed real dedication to supporting Nebraska's family farms, ranches and rural communities, as did all the Senators who supported LB 1174.  To see how your Senator voted go to http://www.cfra.org/1174.

The fight for family farms, ranches and our small towns continues. We are proud to stand with Nebraskans in the fight for the future of rural Nebraska. We will not concede the future of our rural communities to the powerful interests that wish to see rural Nebraska handed over to corporate mega-farms.  We will be back.